Ubuntu Linux scores the highest in a security assessment of end user computer devices by CESG, the UK’s government’s information security arm, reports Canonical, the software firm behind this Linux distribution. CESG in October last year published its security guidance for laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones. Comparing the results, Canonical on 10 January concludes its Ubuntu Linux is “the only operating system that passes as many as 9 out of 12 requirements without any significant risks.”
“This is roughly equivalent to a standard set of best practice security features”, Canonical writes in its summary of the 9 CESG guidance reports. “Any enterprise would be interested in implementing these to make sure that information is not leaked from their organisation.”
CESG writes that its online guidance “is designed to help UK public sector security architects, system administrators and end-users as they deploy and use the latest laptops, desktops, tablets and smartphones.” The guidance “provides advice to those deploying devices by providing details on how particular platforms can be configured to achieve the key security recommendations”.
The department is part of Government Communications Headquarters, one of the UK’s intelligence agencies.
Its official
Apart from its review of Ubuntu Linux, it looked at the use of the open source system Android for mobile devices. CESG also published reports for several proprietary operating systems, used for PCs and mobile devices.
In its guidance on Ubuntu, CESG writes that the Linux distribution can be used for accessing ‘official’ email, for creating, editing, reviewing and commenting on ‘official’ documents and for accessing the ‘official’ intranet resources, the internet and other web-resources.
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