Tuesday, November 27, 2018
What is an Operating System? Survey Findings
Survey Results.
At the beginning of the semester I sent a
survey to eleven different people that work in the computer industry. Their job
titles range from System Analysts to USAF Intelligence Analyst.
Of those surveyed six preferred Windows,
four Linux, and one a Mac.
Microsoft was chosen because it is easier
to use, Linux, because of its security and that it is free, and the Mac was
preferred because it is easy to use and less vulnerable.
The biggest flaw of the three operating
systems: Microsoft is more vulnerable to viruses and hackers; Linux is not
funded by big corporations and it is harder to learn; Mac programs are
outdated, too expensive, and gives too much access to personal data.
The most secure operating system for the
home user: two people said Microsoft, four said Mac, four said Linux, and two
didn’t have an opinion.
The most secure operating system for a
corporation: one person said Apple, six said Linux, two said Mac, and one
didn’t have an opinion.
When asked what they wanted to see their
operating system have that it doesn’t already, they said that they would like
for Linux to have a replacement for the “SystemD” init system, more support
from major vendors like Adobe, and better graphics. They wanted Windows to have
more security, the ability to repair itself better, and built-in software like
photo editing and Word.
Findings.
When security is on the line Linux has
held the number one position for many years. But with the introduction of
Windows 10, Linux has some real competition.
Windows Defender is a great protector of
the Microsoft Operating system. Linux is becoming increasingly more user
friendly. With more users choosing Linux comes more hackers trying to find a
way to breach the system. Mac is an expensive operating system that does not
have the same razzle dazzle that Microsoft has.
The other operating systems will be hard
pressed to knock Microsoft out of its reigning position among consumers.
What is an Operating System? Pt. 3
Linux Operating System.
Linux is a modular kernel invented by
Linus Torvalds. It is operating systems have been around since the middle of
the 1990s. The user-base can be found in many industries and across the globe.
Linux can be found in phones, Roku devices, cars, and even refrigerators! It
runs the world’s stock exchanges and most of the internet.
Linux has upheld the reputation of being
one of the most reliable and secure operating systems available.
The Linux operating system has a command
line called the Shell. This used to scare people away from Linux, because there
was the assumption that people had to learn an outdated command line to make it
work. This is not the case any longer.
With the modern Linux desktop, the user
doesn’t need to ever touch the command line. Linux offers a plethora of
high-quality applications that can be simply installed.
Many Linux distributers have a tool
similar to the App Store that will centralize and simplify the installation of
the apps. The Ubuntu software center is the Linux store that offers thousands
of cost efficient or free applications for Linux.
One of the features that many users like
about Linux is that the cost of entry is free. This means that Linux can be
installed on as many computers as desired without costing the user any money
for the software of the server licensing.
Linux has an open source license. This
means that the user has the freedom to run the program, for whatever reason
they need. They can make copies and redistribute the copies to their friends.
The user also has the freedom to modify the Linux version they are using and
distribute that as well.
Many Linux users like to boast about the
fact that they have never had any issues with viruses or malware. It is known
for being reliable, flexible, and secure.
It is important to note that a serious
design drawback to introducing new security features into the Linux operating
system is that the original applications can’t be broken. This is a rule for
all the new features. Meaning, the option of creating a brand-new security
system from the bottom up is not an option. The new features will have to be
compatible and retrofitted with the original design of the system.
Linux also has the networking stack that
has IPsec. This offers authenticity, confidentiality, and the protection of the
integrity of the IP network. It can also be used for VPNs, virtual private
networks.
The Linux kernel users of the
cryptographic API have disk encryption schemes and module signature
verification. The Linux Security modules has hooks at all the critical security
points inside of the kernel.
Any information that is relevant to the
security of the system is passed to the Linux Security Modules. Security
Enhanced Linux (SELinux) is designed to meet many security requirements. This
includes the general purpose use all the way to the government and military
systems that carry classified information.
This security is administered centrally,
which helps contain any attacks that exploit misconfiguration and userland
software bugs. All files and processes in SELinux are assigned security labels.
Any important interactions between
entities on the operating system are then hooked by LSM and sent to the SELinux
module, which will go over the security policy to decide if the operation
should continue.
The Linux kernel has a comprehensive audit
subsystem. This subsystem was created to meet the certification requirements
for the government. This feature turned out to be useful for the Linux users as
well. These audit logs are great for analyzing the operating system’s behavior.
It also is helpful in detecting attempts to compromise the operating system.
Linux has a mechanism that restricts the
access to system calls. This mechanism is called the Secure computing mode. The
idea of this mechanism is to reduce attacks of the kernel by stopping apps from
entering unnecessary system calls.
Another subsystem for the kernel is the integrity
management, which protects the integrity of any files on the system. The
Integrity Measurement Architecture for the Linux system also performs runtime
measurements of any files by using cryptographic hashes, which will compare
them to a list of valid hashes. These measurements are logged through the audit
subsystem.
Using the Extended Verification Module
(EVM), the Linux operating system is protected from offline attacks.
What is an Operating System? Pt. 2
Windows Operating System was created by
the Microsoft Corporation to run on home computers. It had the original GUI for
IBM-compatible pcs. The earliest Windows operating system was released in 1985
and was a simple GUI extension of the disk operating system (MS_DOS) that
Microsoft’s already had.
Windows biggest seller was how user
friendly it was for uses that weren’t familiar with the intrinsic computer
systems of the time. Windows introduced newer versions and with each
introduction the more user friendly the computers became.
Microsoft introduced the new manager
programs --File, Program, and Print programs with a more appealing interface.
Windows created packages that were specific for networks, corporations, and
Workgroups.
In 2015 Microsoft released Windows 10,
which has the addition of Cortana, a digital assistant akin to Apple’s Siri.
The problem that most users had with Microsoft Windows 10 was that it was a
forced update. This made some users resentful towards Microsoft. This update was given under the guise of
making the operating system better and more user friendly. When, some users
found the update to be confusing and intrusive.
Microsoft dumped 6 GB of data onto their
customer’s hard drives without their permission and without giving them a
choice to opt out. This led to many lawsuits filed in the US, with users
stating their computers were being damaged and their data lost. In Germany, in
2016 a lawsuit was filed because of the intrusive upgrades. The lawsuit was
dropped after Microsoft voluntarily agreed to stop automatic upgrades. The
company is “obliged to avoid placing installation data for new operating
systems on Windows user’s hard drives without their permission.”
Microsoft has stopped pushing the free
update and began to charge for it instead. It has chosen a new delivery system
for its software called the Unified Update Platform (UUP). This allows for
lighter releases that will only install bits that have been added since the
last update. Microsoft has upped their “security” bragging rights with the
introduction to Windows 10. Their goal with this update was address the threats
of the hacking and malware attacks industry.
Windows Defender is Windows main guard
against threats and viruses. The Defender Application Control offers protection
by preventing sketchy apps and executables, especially malware from running on
the Microsoft operating system.
The Windows Defender Antivirus is the next
generation in antivirus solutions that will use a wide array of optics, the
cloud, behavior analysis, and models that are designed to learn machines for
protecting the computer.
Windows Defender Exploit Guard is a new
prevention for Windows 10 with capabilities to cut down on attacks and will
exploit applications and Windows’ surface area.
Windows Defender Application Guard is in
place to protect the Microsoft Edge by isolating online malware and other
threats by hackers. It keeps the threats from attacking the computer, it’s
applications, the network, or sensitive data.
Windows has a Defender System Guard that
will maintain the operating system’s integrity from being turned on and being
turned off. It also works with the management systems to keep unapproved
devices from getting resources from the home or business. These are the
positive sides of Windows 10 security.
The drawbacks are many as well. A major
problem for users was that Windows 10 automatically assigned an advertising ID
to each customer. Companies can tailor ads by the information found from that
ID. They can use certain applications to customize the ads from the user’s web
history. (Forrest, 2015)
The customer’s personal information is
synced with the servers at Microsoft. This information, like your passwords,
can be encrypted and passed on. Microsoft’s version of SIRI is Cortana. This is
a personal assistant that collects data, as well. This feature, that Microsoft
has chosen to remove the on/off switch, is always listening.
A direct quote from Microsoft’s privacy
policy: “We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your
content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or
files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is
necessary to protect our customers or enforce the terms governing the use of
the services.
Mac OS1
The Mac OS is Apple’s operating system for
Macintosh’s line of personal computers. The newest update of Mac will run the
older applications as well as UNIX. The System 1 was released in January of
1984. Since then, Apple has had a large, and important role in creating and
implementing the GUI. Mac has evolved quite a bit from its initial release. The
System 7 had the longest run from 1991-1997. It was originally known as System
Software.
The Mac OS X in 2001, but it wasn’t until
the release of Jaguar, the Mac OS X 10.2, that the operating system was able to
really compete with Windows. The Mac OS X Mountain Lion has more features and
elements taken from its mobile operating system to the Mac desktop.
Apple is the only company that not only designs
its own hardware, but also writes its own operating system. Mac users don’t
have to put with being bombarded by adware, demoware, word balloons, etc.
(McCracken, 2009)
It is not possible to install a harmful
trojan virus unless the user specifically permits it root access. Mac users
aren’t burdened with hunting for special anti-virus software because a virus
has destroyed their system.
Another benefit to the Mac operating
system is that it will recognize other Apple products automatically and work with
them. They also rarely need additional drivers for non-Apple products.
Unfortunately for most users, Mac is on
the higher end of the cost of the operating system. They also are difficult to
upgrade. Apple tends to weld components such as the RAM or the hard drive to
the motherboard. This makes upgrading very challenging after the computer has
been assembled.
Mac does not let their users have free
reign over the interface and operations as other operating systems. In fact,
many settings are hidden, because Apple doesn’t want their customers worrying
about the details. This can be very frustrating for the users that want to
customize their interface and other components to their operating system.
Mac has their own personal assistant, like
Windows’ Cortana called SIRI. But, Apple has come out to say that Siri is not
recording what the user said, nor is it sending that information on to Apple,
unless the user specifically triggers the Siri. If a customer decides to turn
Siri off, Apple deletes the user’s data connected with the Siri identifier.
Mac has an anti-malware feature called
File Quarantine, released in 2009. Unfortunately, it will only detect malware
if it is downloaded to a Mac through Safari or Chrome, or through a message
transfer.
Mac also has a Gatekeeper, which uses code
signing that verifies authenticity and the integrity of applications launched
on the Mac.
Sandboxing is a security feature added to
Mac. Sandboxing is supposed to be the last line of defense when dealing with
corruption, hackers, theft, of deletion of files. It creates a virtual wall
that is supposed to be impenetrable around each process and application.
Sandboxing is supposed to protect its users from malware that is web-based.
Sandboxing, while a handy security feature, can also limit the way some apps
interact with other apps and the operating system.
One of Mac’s most underappreciated
features is the HFS (hierarchical File System) +file system along with
journaling. The system is low-level software, it comes installed on a disk, and
it catalogs the files onto the computer. Without a file system, the user
wouldn’t be able to copy, delete, or even move files.
Journaling logs a record of changes before
they are even finalized. The journal is a feature that protects the file system
against hardware failures or power outages. This reduces the need for repairing
the directory.
A newer security feature is the System
Integrity Protection, also called “Rootless.” Root is one of the user accounts
found on every Mac. The root is also referred to as the superuser. This account
can access, delete, modify files; it can change permissions and cause a bit of
chaos in the wrong hands. The System Integrity Protection restricts this
account. It limits the actions that the superuser can perform on parts of the
operating system that has been protected. This is to block malware that can
access the root account and damage files.
What is an Operating System? Pt.1
What is an operating system? An operating
system is the software that supports a computer’s simplest functions, such as
scheduling the upcoming tasks, implementing applications.
It oversees the computer’s memory,
software/hardware, and processes. It translates between computer speak to
layman’s terms. It organizes the computer’s memory and storage. It makes sure
that every program your computer is trying to run will run to its ability. They
determine which applications should run, in which order they run, and how long
each needs to run.
It manages the sharing of the internal
memory for each different application. It oversees the output and input from
the hardware devices like printers, hard disk, etc. It can send messages from
the application to the user regarding the status and any errors that may happen
to arise. It can offload the printing applications, freeing up the system to do
other tasks.
It can also run dual processing and manage
dividing the programs to run on several processors at a time.
Without the operating system, your
computer wouldn’t have the main software that runs a pc. A computer is just a
paperweight without an O.S.
The operating system is loaded into the
personal computer by a boot program initially. The applications are programs
that use the operating system by requesting services through a specific
application program interface (API).
Typically, an operating system is already
installed on the computer when it is purchased, and most users will use this
pre-installed operating system. But there are other options; Microsoft Windows,
Mac OS X, and Linux.
Operating systems use something called a
GUI (sounds like gooey). The Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows your mouse
to click the buttons, menus, and icons. Everything is displayed clearly with
graphics and texts.
Each system’s GUI looks different;
therefore, some users are hesitant to switch to an operating system they
haven’t used before. But, operating systems are designed to be user friendly
and most of the basic designs are the same.
The operating system contains the
bootloader, which is software that controls the process of booting the
computer. The kernel is the core of the system. The kernel manages the memory,
the CPU and the other devices connected to the computer. It is considered the
most basic part of the operating system.
The Graphical Server is a sub-system that
puts images on the monitors. It is also called the X or the X server.
The desktop is the main part that most of
the pc users will interact with. There are several desktop environments and
each of them has built-in apps like file managers, web browsers, games etc.
Let’s talk about the security features of
an operating system. Why is it even important?
Operating System Security is the process
of keeping the integrity and confidentiality of the operating systems and the
user’s personal information. The operating security protects the system from
threats, viruses, worms, malware, and hackers. An ounce of preventative is
better than a pound of cure, as the old saying goes. The same is true for
operating systems.
The security preventative keeps the
computer assets safe from being stolen, compromised, or deleted. The operating
system’s security allows applications that have been scanned for viruses and
deemed clean to run smoothly. It allows the system to perform required tasks
and prevent unauthorized programs from running.
The operating system’s security will
perform normal operating system’s patch updates. It will also install the
latest antivirus software. The operating system’s firewall will scan the
outgoing and incoming network traffic.
Over 300 thousand brand new malware
(software whose only purpose is to damage or disable computers and their operating
systems) are created every day. Even 87% or managers or people in authority
have been known to accidentally leak data. 63% of hacks were managed by poor
passwords. Data breaches have cost up to $3.5 million per incident.
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