[static_cast]

I'm sure a vanilla linux-distribution is as easy an target as a windows box, if not even easier.

But why don't they use some hardened (grsecurity,selinux) kernel + http://linux-ima.sourceforge.net/ + a default forbid MAC policy + remote logging.

I can't see how this attack vector could be used against such a system.

These are deadly drones. It is probably a lot more work than using a plain windows box. But these machines can kill people. I thought the Military would use state of the art software security system.

[Iv]

About vanilla systems, I think no one can make a worse job than Microsoft. When I discovered that Windows XP was auto-executing some files in any USB stick you plugged in it, I decided to not take Microsoft seriously EVER about security. Yes, it was after their grand announcement they would focus on security. They probably improved many things since then, but I can't trust a company that did not understand the problem about arbitrary code execution during all these years to do a half-decent job at security.

The world-wide epidemics in computer virus would not exist without Windows. It is not about it being the most prevalent OS : Linux is prevalent amongst webservers, highly valuable targets. iOs is the most prevalent OS on cellphone, always-on targets. Neither see virus spreading. Think about it.