Bridging the Linux security perception gap

With the discovery of a zero-day vulnerability in the Linux operating system kernel that could impact all devices including two-thirds of all Android phones, and yet more trouble in the form of Linux.Ekoms.1 malware that captures screenshots every 30 seconds, maybe it's time to ask just how secure is Linux? The zero-day CVE-2016-0728 was particularly nasty, involving as it does the keyring facility which Linux uses to retain encryption information in the kernel. Discovered by researchers at Israeli security outfit Perception Point this could enable an attacker to gain root and execute arbitrary code on most any impacted device.