Ubuntu machine uncracked

[p_quarles]

Ubuntu, with standard config, would not have a root account enabled with a password, but the account would have SUDO rights. In practice this is very similar to how Vista UAC works.

Well, sort of. In Vista, however, the default configuration uses an administrative account. If that is left as is, UAC warnings will pop up, but will not require any kind of password authentication.

[cprofitt]

Well, sort of. In Vista, however, the default configuration uses an administrative account. If that is left as is, UAC warnings will pop up, but will not require any kind of password authentication.

True... so you have to hit ok, vs. putting in your password again. Though if you use the non-default user you will need to put in the password.

[zmjjmz]

The Safari hack was based on getting someone to click on a link though, so it was a PEBUAK.

[tubasoldier]

Last time they did something like this it was with just Mac OSX. It took thirty minuites.
Vista will go down in a matter of minuites, if you can get it to connect to anything.
I think OSX will still be roughly what it was last time.
Ubuntu... IDK. I'm curious about this one. All holes are well known as it is open source, but as a result of open source they are all quickly fixed.

[cprofitt]

The Safari hack was based on getting someone to click on a link though, so it was a PEBUAK.

Maybe, maybe not. Remember that 'crackers' can setup legitimate looking websites... or even 'crack' a legitimate website replacing the sites pages with their own code. I would not give immediately assume that the hack requires 'stupid user' to work.

[cprofitt]

L
Vista will go down in a matter of minuites, if you can get it to connect to anything.

You have issues getting Vista to connect to things?

[aaaantoine]

I dunno. Each OS is only as secure as the software it runs. If we were talking about Windows XP, I'd say that would go down first. And out of the remaining choices, Mac OS X would probably win it due to security by obscurity, whereas Ubuntu's source code is visible to all, and an exploit can be found without any trial and error.

But we're talking about Vista, not XP. Say what you want about Vista, but Microsoft put an incredible amount of resources into making it a more secure OS. So with that in mind, I think Ubuntu would be exploited first (again, due to visible source code). However, I do not know who the victor would be.

As a tangent, while I believe Ubuntu is most vulnerable to zero-day exploits, it is also most secure in terms of turning around and patching those exploits (once again, due to the open source nature of the code).

[aaaantoine]

Oh, of course I guessed wrong...

Congratulations to our first winner of the CanSecWest PWN to OWN contest! At 12:38pm local time, the team of Charlie Miller, Jake Honoroff, and Mark Daniel from Independent Security Evaluators have successfully compromised the Apple MacBook Air, winning the laptop and $10,000 from TippingPoint's Zero Day Initiative. They were able to exploit a brand new 0day vulnerability in Apple's Safari web browser.

[solitaire]

ElReg readers are having a field day slagging off Mac fanboys who all said that the Mac would be the last to fall....

Now they are saying itfell first because it's so desirable! (Yeh Right....)

[x0as]

Now they are saying itfell first because it's so desirable! (Yeh Right....)

that might be a good reason if there wasn't $10,000 as well. It fell first because it was the easiest target.