METROPOLITAN INTERNATIONAL
UNIVERSITY
FACULTY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
NAME : ATWINE BLIEF
REG.NO : 24/BCS/055/UMC
COURSE : BCS
COURSE UNIT: OPERATING SYSTEMS DESIGN AND
IMPLEMENTATION
YEAR : ONE
SEMESTER : TWO
PROGRAM : DAY
LECTURER : JILL NATUKUNDA MAGRET
QUESTION;
A) Explain the security issues of the operating system.
B) What are the differences between windows, Linux, UNIX, and android?
A)
Security issues related to an operating system include vulnerabilities
like buffer overflows, privilege escalation errors, injection flaws, unpatched
software, and zero-day exploits, which can arise from poor programming,
outdated software, or insecure integrations, allowing attackers to gain
unauthorized access or disrupt system functions; other concerns include
insider threats, malware, ransom ware risk, denial of service attacks, rootkits
and backdoors, and compliance issues due to using unsupported operating
systems.
Key points about operating system security issues:
o Vulnerability exploitation:
Hackers can exploit known vulnerabilities in an operating system to gain
access to sensitive data or disrupt system operations.
o Outdated software:
Not updating an operating system to the latest patches can leave it
susceptible to known vulnerabilities.
o Poor access control:
Improper user permissions or weak password management can allow
unauthorized users to access system resources.
o Buffer overflows:
A programming error that allows attackers to write more data to a memory
location than allocated, potentially executing malicious code.
o Privilege escalation:
A vulnerability that allows a user with lower privileges to gain elevated access to the
system.
o Injection flaws:
Allows malicious input to be injected into a system, potentially executing unauthorized
commands.
o Zero-day exploits:
New vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit before a patch is available.
o Insider threats:
Malicious actions by authorized users within an organization, like leaking sensitive
data or inadvertently clicking on phishing links.
o Ransom ware attacks:
Encrypting critical data on a system and demanding a ransom to decrypt it, often
facilitated by vulnerabilities in an outdated operating system.
o Denial of Service attacks:
Flooding a system with traffic to prevent legitimate users from accessing it.
o Rootkits and backdoors:
These are malicious software tools designed to provide unauthorized
access to a computer while concealing their presence. Rootkits can
modify the OS at the kernel level, making detection and removal
challenging.
Mitigating security risks:
Regular updates: Applying security patches and updates promptly to address
vulnerabilities
Strong password policies: Enforcing complex passwords and regular
password changes
User access controls: Implementing appropriate user permissions based on
their roles
Network security measures: Utilizing firewalls and intrusion detection
systems
Security awareness training: Educating users about common cyber threats
and safe practices
System hardening: Implementing security configurations to minimize attack
surfaces.
B)
Feature Windows Linux Unix Android
Type Proprietary Open-source Proprietary Open-source
(Closed-source) (Mostly) (Modified version
of Linux)
Kernel Windows NT Linux kernel Unix kernel Linux Kernel
Kernel
User Interface GUI (Graphical Primarily CLI Primarily CLI, Primarily GUI,
User Interface) (Command Line some GUIs optimized for
Interface or GUI) touchscreens
Security Moderate High (SE Linux, High (Varies by OS High (App
(Windows App Amor) like AIX) sandboxing, SE
Defender, Linux)
firewall)
Compatibility High, supports High for open- Limited, mostly Compatible with
most software source software, for servers Android apps
limited (.apk)
proprietary
support
Cost Paid (Licenses Free Paid or Free for most
required) subscriptions for variants
most versions
Target Audience General Developers Enterprise server Consumers,
consumers, system admins, environments Mobile device
enterprise power users users
Updates Regular updates Regular updates, Depends on the Regular, over-the-
Mostly automatic community driven Unix variant air updates (OTA)
Performance Moderate High (depends on Limited (mostly Optimized for
distribution) server based) mobile hardware
Software support Extensive support Good support for Limited Extensive app
for apps and open-source app, commercial support (Google
games limited for software support play)
proprietary
Market share Dominates Gaining traction, Dominant in Dominates mobile
desktop/laptop dominant in enterprise servers market
market servers
