We are now going to talk about operating systems in relation to security now an operating system or
OS is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources and provides common services
for computer applications.
The operating system is the main software on a computer that controls all the applications.
Examples of desktop operating systems include Windows 7 a 10 also Mac us Debian Linux a boon to Linux
BSD salon resect cetera on the mobile phone.
There are operating systems such as iOS for Apple Android Windows OSs BlackBerry OSS Symbian and so
on.
The operating system has full control of all actions on a device.
If the operating system isn't secure or is compromised it is absolutely game over from the start for
your security.
The OS needs to be a secure base to hope to have a secure environment.
There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to operating systems and security.
You may have heard for example that Macs can't get viruses.
Not true.
Lots of people also say that Windows is terrible when it comes to security.
Not necessarily true either.
Then you've got people in the Linux camp that think Linux is the greatest operating system for security
without fault.
Not true Linux like any operating system isn't perfect.
So let's explore some of those beliefs based on facts and statistics over the next few lectures and
see where we actually end up when it comes to the security of Common Operating Systems.
First let's consider the security features available within operating systems and also available third
party apps for those operating systems.
So Windows Windows has got a bad track record.
There's no doubt about that.
It's had weak security design from the beginning but you have to give credit where credit is due.
In the more recent operating systems Microsoft has started to take security seriously and with its later
products and its later security features like bit lock the device guard windows halo windows trusted
apps.
It has a fairly solid set of security features.
Now the thing that lets windows down especially with the more recent Windows 10 are the tracking and
privacy issues which is a slightly different thing to security features but it does put some people
off.
We will be covering Windows security and privacy features and applications in much more detail as we
go through the course.
This is an overview.
Next Marcos currently again like Windows has a reasonable solid base of security features things like
address space layout randomisation application sandboxing Firebolt to privacy controls.
Apple's trusted store apps and so on all strong security features.
But if you were to compare Windows 10 to the latest Mac course Windows has more security features and
much more third party security applications are available for Windows over Mac of sorts.
I mean by that so for example if you're looking for a good application firewall for Mac us or another
security product or feature you're going to get from a third party.
You have limited choice.
There just isn't much available for Windows.
The choice is almost endless.
We will be covering makkal security and privacy features and applications in more detail as we go through
the course.
Then we have Linux Linux type operating systems BSD type Unix like operating systems.
There's a large variety of these operating systems so I'm bucketing them all together for convenience
here for this lecture.
If you're looking for the most secure operating systems this is where you're going to find them.
The likes of cubes OS tale's Debian Arch Linux would be good examples of security and privacy focused
operating systems and we will of course be covering cubes as tails and other Linux operating system
security features and applications as we go through the course and just for your information if you're
looking for beginner friendly Linux operating systems then consider Manjari you a bound to and mint.
But Debian is my recommendation for a general use operating system that also consider security and privacy.
If you're looking for a Linux operating system when we consider Windows Mac and Linux Windows has the
most security features and third party security applications available Mac has the least security features
and third party security applications available and Linux is where this security focused rating systems
can be found.
Windows Mac has a linux based on their security features can all be used as a secure base operating
system.
But if you need higher levels of protection you'll be looking towards Linux type operating systems on
the mobile platform.
The main competing operating systems are android from Google and also from Apple.
Android is a more open operating system when you're allowed to do more with it and you can do more with
it which is great but this isn't good for security there.
IOS is a closed system restricting what you can do.
You can do less on it than you can on Android but because it's a restricted operating system a close
operating system this is good for security.
Android is improving security all the time but iOS from Apple will be the market leader.
If you're looking for a secure mobile operating system right now.