RE: Which Windows OS is Safest

["Randy Williams" <randyw () techsource com>]

Greetings,

While I appreciate the mention of NT, which really would be the safest OS,
there is a matter of functionality to consider.  As the definition of
'safest' isn't very clear.

If the term 'safest' is from the "will it work on my equipment and allow the
best safety from a Windows OS" perspective, then Win NT may not be the best
choice, as drivers for WinNT stopped showing up around the middle of last
year.

If the term 'safest' is from the "what is the least prone to security risks"
perspective, then I agree with you wholeheartedly.  Windows NT 4.0 has been
largely left alone during the past 2 years.

As with everything in IT, it depends on the definitions, and the specifics
of the deployment.  One of the only reasons we migrated to Win2K from NT4.0
is because of drivers and support.

RandyW

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Carroll [mailto:CarrollM () wclc com] 
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 9:08 AM
To: 'MARTIN M. Bénoni'
Cc: 'security-basics () securityfocus com'
Subject: RE: Which Windows OS is Safest

First off, I'm not an admin, but an I.S. Auditor.  Since NT does not support
USB functionality, there is no risk of said devices being used on an NT box
(which isn't the case w/2k).  Also, NT is far more reliable than 2K and is
designed to be a workhorse.  If you examine the patches during the past
year, the majority of them apply to Windows products that support all sorts
of end user multimedia/user friendly functions, not required to perform
normal/acceptable work place related functions.  

Remember, the question was what Windows OS was safest.  If you cannot offer
suggestive solutions, please don't waste mine or other's time with pointless
back of the classroom remarks; I get enough useless mail as it is.

Thanks.

-----Original Message-----
From: MARTIN M. Bénoni [mailto:benoni_martin () hotmail com]
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 7:05 AM
To: Michael Carroll; artturi () vidafalt com;
security-basics () securityfocus com
Subject: RE: Which Windows OS is Safest


Humm...I cannot understand hom people can still talk about NT when there are

at least W2K boxes since a while, and Win2K3! NT has got a lot of bugs (6 
SPs!! ), and I think at least a whole which cannot be patched! Why NT is 
still in admin's minds???


> From: Michael Carroll <CarrollM () wclc com>
> To: 'Artturi Lehtiö' <artturi () vidafalt com>,"Mailing List, Security Basics"

> <security-basics () securityfocus com>
> Subject: RE: Which Windows OS is Safest
> Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2004 15:07:23 -0500
>
> Safest is more of a situational point of view.  Depending on the
> applications,(uses), that the systems will be used for and what
> functionality is required.  From my experience, WindowsNT 4.0 (and Service
> Pack 6a) allowed our organization to implement stable, reliable and secure
> machines.  Of course you will have to harden the OS by disabling
> non-essential services within NT, but a quick search on Google or MS's
> support site will provide you with a variety of hardening guides to
> accomplish this task.
>
> HTH.
>
> Michael
>
> carrollm () wclc com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Artturi Lehtiö [mailto:artturil () yahoo co uk]
> Sent: Friday, June 25, 2004 2:16 AM
> To: Mailing List, Security Basics
> Subject: Which Windows OS is Safest
>
>
>  I would like to know what is regarded as the safest Windows OS as I need 
> to
> set up a few new computers for system administrators to use and I would 
> like
> to use a Windows OS as the system administrators who will be using the
> computers have only experience with Windows. I know that the wisest thing 
> to
> do wouold be to teach them how to use another OS like OpenBSD but it isn't
> possible.
>
>  Thanks.
>
>  Artturi Lehtiö
>  artturi.lehtio () vidafalt com
>
>
>
> >
>
>
>
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Ethical Hacking at the InfoSec Institute. Mention this ad and get $545 off
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to facilitate one-on-one interaction with one of our expert instructors.
Attend a course taught by an expert instructor with years of in-the-field
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of an Ethical Hacker to better assess the security of your organization.
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