A UNIX system is only as secure as you want it to be. The more services one makes available on a system, the more chances of introducing a security hole. Operating systems like Windows and others are more prone to security breaches because they offer more services that are an integral part of how they operate, (in order to be more 'user friendly').

Linux itself is very stable and secure. When installing Linux, one should tend to install with the minimum, and then add only the ESSENTIAL items, reducing chances of an 'application' of having a security weakness. You should discuss your requirements with your local IT consultant. Linux is the most SECURE if properly implemented. If a weakness is apparent in the system, there are millions of users worldwide to point it out immediately.

Mistakes can happen in programming at any level, but when you have 10's of thousand of people with the source code available to them, these mistakes are often discovered faster in the open source code environment.

As with other Operating Systems, once a loophole is discovered, a patch is made available. With Linux, these patches become available almost immediately after the discovery of a security flaw. It is important, that these patches get applied as soon as possible.

The deployment of OpenSource Software means:

Can you, as a small business, afford not to use it?

SOPAC(WA) is a member of SLPWA, the Society of Linux Professionals of Western Australia