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So yesterday I wrote about the latest iteration of Ubuntu 20.04 LTS coming out in my usual glowing terms. I feel like there was nothing amiss in that article after all Ubuntu, especially the version in question, is a stellar operating system that is rock solid and has served me well. A few people however decided to call me on my bias and asked me to publicly admit that there is no such thing as an invulnerable operating system under the sun.

So here is me doing exactly that. I think I should repeat that for emphasis: There is no such thing as an invulnerable operating system under the sun. I often say the best way to make your computer impenetrable is to shut it down and pulverise it thoroughly with a hammer. But even then who knows? I have seen FBI nerds in real movies pull information on a single surviving chip.

What makes Linux better than Windows in my opinion is not just the open-source code that is reviewed by scores of experts around the world. Its the philosophy behind it all. In Windows, ignorant users can click around and blunder the way to productivity. The system is meant to be easy and fits many use cases by default. All you need to do is boot up, enter your password or just stare at your computer to login, get to the desktop and click on Chrome and you are watching cat videos.

In Linux, things can be but are usually not that easy. While you can use Windows without knowing what a registry is. In Linux, you have to be hands-on with your configurations. Every action you take has to be deliberate otherwise your risk breaking things. Often you have to set up your desktop the way you want, Chrome is not installed by default and sometimes you cannot even play videos until you install the right codecs. Linux forces you to learn and pay attention to what you are doing. You are often forced to learn why you are doing things in addition to how to do things.

Now that we have put the explanations out of the way its time to look at some of the top Linux Malware in 2021. One thing to note is that cloud-centric malware dominates in Linux. There are probably a couple of reasons for this including:

Below are the top malware in Linux according to Trend Micro

One thing to note from the above is that unlike in Windows, Linux malware is often heavily customised by attackers to target a specific vulnerability and often each Linux system is unique. This means that its rare to see one specific piece of malware dominate instead you have families of related malware.

Again I am biased but I believe identifying and thwarting an attack in Linux is pretty easy. You have tools like UFW (or better yet iptables) to lock down your internet connection in ways that are unimaginable in Windows. For example, whenever I set up a new cloud server I simply block all non-Zimbabwean IPs by default. That alone removes 99.99% of the threats from the table.

Also, make it a habit to uninstall software you dont need. Better still when installing make sure you only install the base operating system with as little stuff as possible. You can then add only just the stuff you need. Why install Apache on a Minecraft or mail server? Do you really need FTP? If not stop and disable the service via ssh.

Above all. Always check the logs. Always. Check resource usage too and see if it tallies with what you expect.

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Linux is not invulnerable, here are some top Linux malware in 2021 - Technology Zimbabwe