14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft security guru Michael Howard has not managed to hide his surprise when Symantec declared Windows the most secure operating system. And bear in mind that Symantec was not referring to Windows Vista, but to previous versions of the Windows platform. Surprise on the sight of Windows coming on top of Mac OS X and Linux and all that from a Microsoft security expert conveys an interpretable message to users.
Here are Howard's own words: "Surprise, Microsoft Listed as Most Secure OS. Wow, the folks from Symantec claim "Microsoft is doing better overall than its leading commercial competitors [in security]"." Howard's reaction can be interpreted in more ways than one. The most evident is associated with the fact that Windows is "actually" delivering a superior performance in security than its rival operating systems.
On a personal note... The Cupertino-based company, one of the world's leading security developers has recently published the "Symantec Internet Security Threat Report - Trends for July-December 06 - Volume XI, Published March 2007." You can find it by following the link provided in this article and read it. It's only 104 pages long.
In it, Symantec does reveal that Windows outperforms, well, let's tell it straightforward and leave euphemisms aside, that Windows is a platform more secure than Linux and more secure than Mac OS X. By far... You will also be able to find summaries of this report here, here and additional resources here. This is not something that was made up, or FUD against Linux and Mac OS X, or a rant. It's written black and white in the Symantec report.
Howard's surprise could also have been generated by the fact that Symantec has provided a positive security review of Windows. Microsoft and Symantec is not a match made in heaven. And Symantec has taken numerous swings at Microsoft and lately at Windows Vista.