Apt-get :: Security of ap-get

Linux is not windows. security is alot better, you can set a root password and anything trying to install or run from root will ask for a password. apt-get has features, like gpg,md5sum, required to be root,etc.. so it is very unlikely to exploit. DSL uses sudo for root access but this can be changed by the user so security is really up to you. Alot of people coming from windows expect there system to be already full of holes just waiting to be exploited, after you use linux for a good while you will find this is not the case with linux. I personally haven't used a firewall or antivirus,antispyware or anything else that would be required for windows for well over 3 years.

About the only thing you should do is use your system and thank robert and jhon that your not using a windows system with tons of exploits.

Quote (newby @ July 09 2006,01:16)

You may be right that other exploits will be more attractive. But, the last step in almost any exploit is the instalation step. Put robust protection there and one will stop a lot of malware. It's probably not even in ap-get, probably down in the kernel.

That's why *nix has root. The robust protection already is in the kernel - Don't run user sessions as root. If you're really worried about the security of you system, you can keep up to date on existing exploits at http://www.debian.org/security/.

original here.