Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) has had a good time recently nipping at the heels of what many consider its largest enemy -- Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT). While I'm not agreeing that Microsoft is in Google's direct cross-hairs more than other companies, the area of customer security and privacy is one area where both companies have taken potshots at one another recently. Google has taken criticism for the immense privacy breaches it apparently is making available to the world, while Microsoft's Windows operating system and other software constantly have security issues, from malware to spyware.

Google recently posted an entry to its security blog that lists the most common web servers that are used to host malware, which then gets distributed to consumer PCs -- turning them into "zombies" for illegal online activity. Yes, you guessed it -- Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) was listed along with the Apache web server (which runs the free Linux operating system) as responsible for distributing 49% of all malware on the internet. You probably know malware -- it's what is responsible for those annoying popups on many millions of PCs, and it generally slows down a PC significantly or crashes it altogether.

Now, to be fair, Google did list the open-source Apache web server as responsible for hosting and distributing malware on the internet as well, so I don't think this was a direct attack on Microsoft, but more as a statement of fact.

But, Google did take its analysis further and determined that Microsoft's server software was actually responsible for distributing malware twice as much as the Apache web server software. While this will not come as a surprise to many IT professionals, it seems that Google could have a motive of undermining trust in Microsoft's products by using published research and analysis showing weakness. Well, it's free to do that, and perhaps Microsoft could turn the tables on Google and point out weakness in the company's software -- except that Google does not make software for web servers.

CEO Matthew Szulik of Red Hat Inc. (NYSE: RHT), the world's largest open-source software company, states that the open-source movement is a generation long opportunity to lead the digital revolution. Recent quarterly results from Red Hat seem to agree with his assertion.

1Q total revenue was up 41% to $111.1 million from 1Q 2006. Total revenue was up 44% to $400.6 million. Subscription revenue, which accounts for almost 75% of Red Hat's revenue, was up 48% to $341.2 million. Net income for 1Q 2007 was $20.5 million, up 23% from the same period one year ago. Not only is Red Hat receiving more revenue from its existing customers for services, consulting and maintenance support, Red Hat is also adding huge numbers of new customers, 10,000 new customers per quarter for the last 5 quarters, with no end to the growth in sight.

Open-source software allows customers more control over their software costs because Linux-related open source software can be initially acquired at a lower cost and can then be adapted to fit specific existing applications without violating copyrights. Open-source software, due to its many variations, is harder for hackers to target, so it is more secure.