Yes, it is possible to secure anything if you know what you are doing.
But the average user doesn't know what he or she is doing. So they run
their computer as the superuser because they don't want to have to log
off and back on to install a program, and all of a sudden any virus that
comes along has access to anything and everything on the system.[0]
That's why I think all of the computer weenies should move off to OS
X. When a program is run that requires root access, you are asked for
your password and you just supply it. (Of course, there are probably
still computer weenies who enter their password when a virus asks
nicely. (Hmmm... I'm not installing or configuring anything. The
computer must just be smart enough to install things on its own.)).
So, I suppose, the only real way to a secure computers is to educate
users. In this way the fact that a new *nix user is basically told RTFM
may be a very good thing. Also, the fact that it is so different may be
a good thing.
[0] Most of the Linux installations, and *BSD installations I have done
have asked for a root password and a username and password combination.
When I tried installing Windows XP for my parents it just installed a
super user. I suppose I could have gone out of my way to create an
underpriviliged user (which I did) and try to show my parents how to use
it (didn't work). But they just decided it was too much trouble and
used the root account all the time. <?php while (1) {
bang_head_against_wall(); } ?>
-Dan
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