As a Microsoft fanboy, I have to point out a recent result from a contest at a security conference. It was a three day contest where hackers were challenged to access a file on variety of systems including Microsoft Vista, Mac OSX Leopard, and Ubuntu Linux. Winners could win a Sony Vaio, Fujitsu U810 and the MacBook as prizes.
On the first day, the system was loaded the operating system alone and all three stood the test against the hackers and the file remained inaccessible.
On the second day, software that is typically packaged with the operating system was included on the systems. The first machine fell. And no, it wasn’t Vista. Vista and Ubuntu survived the second day, but it was the Mac that was hacked through an undisclosed (but probably widely know) security flaw in the Safari browser (in under two minutes, by the way).
On the last day where third party applications were installed on a new patched system, a vulnerability in Flash was utilized to compromise Vista. Ubuntu was left standing alone at the end of the contest.
TechBlog: Mac hacked, pwned and owned at security conference
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