For one thing, Linux benefits from its similarities to Unix, long considered the most bulletproof operating system. Once hardened, Unix is nearly impenetrable--and much of this security translates nicely to Linux.
For another, Linux has a global community of programmers continually evaluating the source code. That kind of scrutiny means flaws are typically discovered very quickly.
And now, a new government initiative promises to make things even better. The Sardonix Audit Portal, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (the same organization that bankrolled the predecessor to the Internet), aims to be the one-stop site for organizing the efforts of critical Linux code reviewers everywhere.
There's even good news on the product front: Network Computing recently reviewed a host of Linux security products, and found most of them to be just what the penguin ordered."
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