I’d better clarify this before someone sees this and gets the wrong idea.
Malware exists for EVERY OS. Anyone who managed a Linux server back in the day will remember dirtycow
Malware is written for a specific purpose. Most Windows malware is wide-net stuff. Linux malware is usually extremely targeted, designed for a specific machine. Like, the victims will often know the attackers.
I mean, if someone had a free weekend and the Windows XP leaked source code, you could probably come up with a Windows template… But no, you can’t make a template out of regular Windows that you get from Microsoft.
EDIT:
It turns out you actually CAN make a Template VM from Windows (and any other OS). See @unman’s post below for more info.
Because monkey see, monkey do…
It depends on what the developers have programmed the software to do. If you know what you’re doing, you could use it to your advantage as an attacker.
What’s for certain is that it will use CPU cycles
Ah yes, the proverbial “cloud”. In all seriousness, when did the term “cloud” become a thing? Before that, people just called them “servers”…
If big tech were actually honest and upfront about how they actually make money, nobody would use their services, and would avoid them like the plague! They know this. That’s why they have a very talented marketing department…
Do you know how to use wireshark
? Have it monitor network packets for a Windows machine from cold boot, don’t interact with it, and leave it for about an hour. When you look at what comes out of the machine, you’ll probably feel a little sick…
Have a read of this:
It’s a research paper about exactly what you’re talking about. It’s actually a good read, if you’ve got the time…
Well, we’re trying to achieve it without compromising the Qubes ethos, which is easy in some areas, but a little more difficult in others… (enterprise don’t really like giving users full control of their machines)
Schools? Startups? Accounting firms? Cybersecurity? Do tell