is Linux really safer from malware?

Question

just generally speaking, for the average user or developer, in typical scenarios, compared to Windows environments

Answer 1

I find it's very easy to keep malware off a windows machine. When I was using ubuntu I had no security software at all. Never had any kind of problem with malware. So the answer to your question is yes.

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

It is absolutely safer. There is simply way less Linux malware in existence than Windows malware, since Windows is so much more popular. Also, Unix-like systems, including Linux and OS X, use a multi-user environment, which means that you are always just a user, unable to administrate your own system without knowing the administrator password. When you try to change any system-wide setting, anything that can trash your computer, you'll be prompted to enter the administrator password. This is powerful protection against malware because the malware will only be able to make changes to your user account (unless it tricks you into entering your password, but that would be your own fault). It will not be able to make changes or do damage to anything that will ruin your OS. Windows tries to use something similar, called User Account Control, but it is poorly implemented and users just turn it off completely anyway.

Answer 4

Yes. I have been with linux for ages and have had no viruses. Been with windows for a year and had to get my computer cleaned from a trojen and a worm virus. Linux encrypt everything but windows is better overall for all the programs and apps. If you have windows keep it, just password protect every folder; thats essentially what linux does. If you install linux over windows to get it back you will have to pay for it again.

Answer 5

Linux is extremely safe compared to windows .but windows does more

Answer 6

more than windows