Security, Linux and the Roving Bug

Her advocates claim Linux is more secure than Windows and as proof they
offer
the list of viruses that target Windows.  The rebuttal is typically that
Window is an attractive target for virus writers due to its ubiquity.  The
Linux advocate's reply is that, Linux's architecture makes it impossible
to
hack.  I think we've all seen this exchange.  Whether Linux is immune from
hacking is an open question.  What if Linux were ubiquitous?  Would
hackers
try to break in?  Could hackers succeed?  The answer to these questions is
yes.

Motorola has embraced Linux as the OS to run on its line of cell phones
(http://news.com.com/2100-1001-984424.html).
 The following link includes
over a dozen cell phone offering, including the Razr, which feature Linux:
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS4504156025.html.
  Motorola is a
leading
cell phone company.  Motorola's market share has reached the critical mass
required to make the devices attractive to the l33t haxtorz.

Cell phones are venerable to a security threat called 'The Roving Bug'. 
The
bug allows people to listen in on you conversations even when the cell
phone
is off.  People can remotely turn on your cell phone, listen in on your
conversations, upload and download data, and take photos without you
knowing
it.  The only way to secure your cell phone and your privacy is to remove
the
battery.

Here's what one site has to say:

<quote>
Nextel and Samsung handsets and the Motorola Razr are especially
vulnerable
to software downloads that activate their microphones, said James
Atkinson,
a
counter-surveillance consultant who has worked closely with government
agencies. "They can be remotely accessed and made to transmit room audio
all
the time," he said. "You can do that without having physical access to the
phone."

Because modern handsets are miniature computers, downloaded software could
modify the usual interface that always displays when a call is in
progress.
The spyware could then place a call to the FBI and activate the
microphone--
all without the owner knowing it happened
</quote> http://hootsbuddy.blogspot.com/2006/12/fbis-roving-bug.html

The article says, ". the Motorola Razr [running Linux] are especially
venerable ."

It turns out that Linux's security model is ****ous as a sieve.  Devices
running Linux are being hacked and taken over by remote hackers.  The
security hole persists even when the device is turned off.  But is it some
secret 'back door' that only the government knows how to access?  Nope,
the
world knows how to by pass and exploit Linux's so-called security.  Here's
a
horror story describing the hell created because of Linux's weak security:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/crime/story/91460.html.

I am sure so will say, "B-b-b-but Windows blah, blah, blah." to which I
reply, "Irrelevant!"

This issue is about a bug in Linux.  This is about a known bug in Linux
that's been hanging around for months.  It is a bug a known bug in Linux
that's been hanging around for months that has not been fixed.  This is
about
a security hole in Linux.  Windows is not the issue here.  This is a Linux
problem and not a Windows problem.