Ever wonder why hackers prefer Linux over windows and other operating systems? If you’ve wondered, but never really understood the differences, it might seem like a lot of information to take in. Even I was a bit lost at first, but a little research can go a long way.

The first more appealing thing is the amount of control a hacker has when using Linux. Linux was designed around a strongly integrated command line interface. While you might be familiar with Windows’ Command Prompt, imagine one where you can control and customize any and all aspects of your operating system. This gives hackers and Linux more control over their system. If you’ve ever compared software and tools from either system you would have noticed you have far more control and capabilities with Linux based programs, this is why.  Windows is built around a graphic user interface, which is more pleasing to the eye, but slower and more restrictive when it comes to user interactions.

One of the top reasons hackers choose Linux above anything else is the lighter, more portability of Linux. Hackers can create customized, live boot disks and drives from all Linux distributions. After the super quick install, they can then use the live boot to boot their system on any other computer or device they need too.  There are only one or two working programs to create a Windows bootable disk, and they aren’t as fast, and are bulkier in terms of memory needed.

Ask a pro hacker or a security professional which OS is the most secure, and all will tell you Linux. Windows is popular because it reaches more mainstream users and programmers. It is more profitable for programmers to write code for Windows, because it is more popular. Unix distro’s like Apple, and Linux have become more popular as of late, and are becoming a bigger target now for cyber criminals, but to date, Linux still remains the safest OS out there.

Linux is also open sourced, unlike Mac and Windows. Being Open Source, this means the actual code for the OS is available to the public; which means the public can customize it however they want. If you are trying to force the OS to operate apart from how it should, being able to manipulate its code is a must.

The transparency of Linux also draws in hackers. To be a good hacker, you have to understand your OS perfectly, and more so, the OS you will be targeting for attacks. Linux allows the user to see and manipulate all of its parts. While Windows engineers work hard to make it impossible for users and hackers to find the parts of the OS. While you’re working on Windows, you are limited to what developers have given you, not what you choose.

The bottom line is when you want total control and customization of your Operating System, Linux distributions are the way to go. Total control, total transparency, and open source are only some of the deciding factors for those in the ranks of the elite cyber criminals.

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