When you hear the word "Linux," you may automatically think about the heavy-duty computer users who embraced the technology a couple of decades ago. And that's reasonable, but as CBT Nuggets Linux trainer Shawn Powers says in a recent Trainer Talk, "Linux is just not as scary and mysterious as everybody seems to think."

In recent years, the open source operating system has become so user-friendly, anyone can install and work with it. But that isn't the only reason Linux is the right choice for your business. Tech professionals have long chosen Linux for their servers and computers due to its security. But why is Linux considered more secure than other operating systems?

Although security often comes down to end-user training regardless of OS, there are some things that make Linux systems more secure than other environments. This is especially true when it comes to malicious software. Here are a few reasons your devices will be more secure with a Linux operating system in place.

Hackers don't typically target Linux

The most cited reason for Linux's safety relates to its low usage numbers. Linux has less than three percent of the market, compared to Windows, which operates on more than 80 percent of all devices. Microsoft and Linux are practically friends now, so that might change a little. (Probably to Microsoft's favor.) For those creating malicious software, it makes more sense to target Windows, because one piece of code will reach the largest segment of the population. This keeps Linux users safer, as even Mac has a larger segment of the market.

It's more difficult to execute a dangerous attachment in the Linux OS

If you've never worked with Linux, you may not realize that it doesn't operate quite the same as Windows or Mac. In those environments, opening a dangerous attachment is simply a matter of double-clicking. Linux is easy to learn with the right resources, but there are extra steps to take before executing a malicious software. On Linux, users need to save the attachment before executing it, and if set up correctly, they would need permissions granted before they could open it. These extra steps can help safeguard a business from the internal user Kill that is so often the cause of security breaches.

Linux does not give users admin access by default

In a Windows environment, users are often given a high level of access automatically. This lets them click on links and download files indiscriminately, easily leading to the issues mentioned above. Many users don't have access to the root directories on their computers, which means that even if they do manage to infect their systems, they'll be limited in the damage they can do. Of course, good security practices mean that users shouldn't be clicking those links in the first place. Regardless of what device you use, it ultimately comes down to whether your users employ good security awareness practices — and it's up to you to train them.

Linux has more people looking out for security issues

Although Microsoft has an army of developers working on their OS, the number of developers working on Linux is bigger. And that's one of the biggest reasons to go Linux. With so many people monitoring for issues, it's likely someone will catch a vulnerability long before hackers can target it. Once spotted, Linux users don't have to wait months for Microsoft to finally investigate the issue and fix it. They can repair it themselves, from wherever they are. This not only improves security for the platform, but it also keeps things stable to prevent downtime.

Although Linux may be safer, there are things administrators can do to keep systems safe. If a hacker does target your network, these small measures will either prevent it or minimize any damage it might do. This includes encrypting the hard drive of each device, which can be done at the time of installation. A firewall can also help keep your systems safe, and best of all, you have plenty of options available for free. Lastly, make sure you keep all your software up-to-date, just as you would do with any operating system.

If you have been thinking about making the switch to Linux, there has never been a better time. With so much training available to help you learn the basics, you'll be able to deploy Linux within your network infrastructure with minimal effort. Once you have Linux in place, you can build from there, boosting the security across your entire network.

“Security through obscurity” may be a catchy phrase, but it’s not the only thing that’s catching among Windows users. The expression is intended to suggest that proprietary software is more secure by virtue of its closed nature. If hackers can’t see the code, then it’s harder for them to create exploits for it–or so the thinking goes. Unfortunately for Windows users, that’s just not true–as evidenced by the never-ending parade of patches coming out of Redmond. In fact, one of Linux’s many advantages over Windows is that it is more secure–much more. For small businesses and other organizations without a dedicated staff of security experts, that benefit can be particularly critical. Five key factors underlie Linux’s superior security:

Privileges

Linux systems are by no means infallible, but one of their key advantages lies in the way account privileges are assigned. In Windows, users are generally given administrator access by default, which means they pretty much have access to everything on the system, even its most crucial parts. So, then, do viruses. It’s like giving terrorists high-level government positions.

With Linux, on the other hand, users do not usually have such “root” privileges; rather, they’re typically given lower-level accounts. What that means is that even if a Linux system is compromised, the virus won’t have the root access it would need to do damage systemwide; more likely, just the user’s local files and programs would be affected. That can make the difference between a minor annoyance and a major catastrophe in any business setting.

Social Engineering

Viruses and worms often spread by convincing computer users to do something they shouldn’t, like open attachments that carry viruses and worms. This is called social engineering, and it’s all too easy on Windows systems. Just send out an e-mail with a malicious attachment and a subject line like, “Check out these adorable puppies!”–or the porn equivalent–and some proportion of users is bound to click without thinking. The result? An open door for the attached malware, with potentially disastrous consequences organizationwide.

Thanks to the fact that most Linux users don’t have root access, however, it’s much harder to accomplish any real damage on a Linux system by getting them to do something foolish. Before any real damage could occur, a Linux user would have to read the e-mail, save the attachment, give it executable permissions and then run the executable. Not very likely, in other words.

The Monoculture Effect

However you want to argue the exact numbers, there’s no doubt that Microsoft Windows still dominates most of the computing world. In the realm of e-mail, so too do Outlook and Outlook Express. And therein lies a problem: It’s essentially a monoculture, which is no better in technology than it is in the natural world. Just as genetic diversity is a good thing in the natural world because it minimizes the deleterious effects of a deadly virus, so a diversity of computing environments helps protect users.

Fortunately, a diversity of environments is yet another benefit that Linux offers. There’s Ubuntu, there’s Debian, there’s Gentoo, and there are many other distributions. There are also many shells, many packaging systems, and many mail clients; Linux even runs on many architectures beyond just Intel. So, whereas a virus can be targeted squarely at Windows users, since they all use pretty much the same technology, reaching more than a small faction of Linux users is much more difficult. Who wouldn’t want to give their company that extra layer of assurance?

Audience Size

Hand-in-hand with this monoculture effect comes the not particularly surprising fact that the majority of viruses target Windows, and the desktops in your organization are no exception. Millions of people all using the same software make an attractive target for malicious attacks.

How Many Eyeballs

“Linus’ Law”–named for Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux–holds that, “given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.” What that means is that the larger the group of developers and testers working on a set of code, the more likely any flaws will be caught and fixed quickly. This, in other words, is essentially the polar opposite of the “security through obscurity” argument.

With Windows, it’s a limited set of paid developers who are trying to find problems in the code. They adhere to their own set timetables, and they don’t generally tell anyone about the problems until they’ve already created a solution, leaving the door open to exploits until that happens. Not a very comforting thought for the businesses that depend on that technology.

In the Linux world, on the other hand, countless users can see the code at any time, making it more likely that someone will find a flaw sooner rather than later. Not only that, but users can even fix problems themselves. Microsoft may tout its large team of paid developers, but it’s unlikely that team can compare with a global base of Linux user-developers around the globe. Security can only benefit through all those extra “eyeballs.”

Once again, none of this is to say that Linux is impervious; no operating system is. And there are definitely steps Linux users should take to make their systems as secure as possible, such as enabling a firewall, minimizing the use of root privileges, and keeping the system up to date. For extra peace of mind there are also virus scanners available for Linux, including ClamAV. These are particularly good measures for small businesses, which likely have more at stake than individual users do.

It’s also worth noting that security firm Secunia recently declared that Apple products have more security vulnerabilities than any others–including Microsoft’s.

Either way, however, when it comes to security, there’s no doubt that Linux users have a lot less to worry about.