In this day and age – everything is online. Your banking, identification, data, photos, videos, friends – everything is digital. Whether we like it or not, it’s the reality. So, if there are so many things in this space, we should take good care of its safety. Our whole life can be accessed through our computers, and, in most cases, we don’t know how we are protected. It’s all based on the built-in operating system protection. 

In this article, we will go over the most secure operating systems on the market, what you should look into when choosing the right system for you, and how it all plays out. So, without further ado, let’s look into the most secure operating system you can find!

Let’s start by stating the factor we base this opinion on. What makes operating systems secure? How can you determine that? Why one secure operating system is better than another secure OS? Of course, that does not exclude other factors that could also be important. Still, in our experience, we can state that those are some of the most important ones to remember when looking for the most secure operating system. Let’s dive in!

Authentication

Some of the most secure operating systems are protected mainly through user authentication. Those security features can be anything from biometrics, passwords, usernames, special PIN codes, or anything companies deem protective yet not intrusive enough. 

It has to be balanced because if the user has to go through the five-minute authentication process, where they will have to put in four passwords, two biometric methods, and seven others, it likely makes the users choose other operating systems.

Firewall

Each security-focused operating system on this list has a great firewall network to prevent potential attacks. Those robust security features can be problematic for some users with constant asks – Do you trust this app? or – are you sure you want to proceed? But it is all being made with the best intention possible. When looking for the best operating system from the firewall point-of-view and excellent security practices, ensure your OS has a good firewall.

Encryption

Another big thing about the best operating systems, when it comes to being a secure system, is the encryption aspect. That way, the OS will not have any security vulnerabilities when transferring or encrypting data at rest. Sensitive information can leak, so providing a secure environment for most situations is critical.

Security Updates

Additionally, whether it’s a desktop or secure mobile operating system, it needs constant updates to understand all the potential vulnerabilities and threats that come out every day. Without a good security system update, you cannot be safe against the new attacks. A reasonably secure operating system would probably have an update weekly or monthly. If it’s rarer, then you should probably check that out.

Backup/Recovery

Another significant aspect of advanced security features in the most advanced operating systems is the ability to have a backup ready or recovery process implemented. Most popular operating systems have those security tools included. Of course, top-quality security features also cost in the form of a space on a cloud or other security measures.

Let’s start with the most obvious: the most popular operating system in the world – Windows 11. As the creators state – this is the most secure Windows ever created. Forget Vista, XP, or Windows 10. The 11th version of the system that made all computer users worldwide ecstatic is the new and improved version.

TPM 2.0

So, why does Microsoft claim that Windows 11 is the one to change it all? Well, there are a couple of reasons. For starters, if you consider having this particular operating system, you should have TPM 2.0. How do you have the correct operating system settings? It’s pretty simple:

• Press Windows Key + R or select Start > Run.

• Type: tpm.msc and choose OK.

• If a message says, “Compatible TPM cannot be found,” you have a TPM that is disabled. If you see a message confirming TPM is ready to use, everything is working correctly. You may want to check the Specification Version under TPM Manufacturer Information to verify it is 2.0. 

If you use the new TPM 2.0 chip, you can avoid any security breaches, get timely security updates, and ensure no malicious code will get to your Windows computers. Additionally, TPM 2.0 stores encryption keys and supports all the best security practices of your PC, with such features as BitLocker and Windows Hello.

Windows 11 — Security Features

What else can it do? Well, a couple of things. For starters, you get free antivirus software, and, honestly, one of the best ones on the market, Microsoft Defender Antivirus. It may be annoying sometimes, but it is one of the strictest software security you will ever encounter. Over the years, Microsoft has been working closely on this topic, so you can be sure it will save you in the most dire situations. 

It is usually malware/spyware detection, but it can also help you find potentially problematic files on your computer, eliminate malicious programs, and ensure data protection on the highest levels. You don’t need to get any McAfee, Avast, or Norton antivirus; everything is included in Microsoft’s package.

Another significant change to Windows’ security is the Microsoft Defender SmartScreen. If you choose to use Microsoft Edge, it will provide your browsing security and keep malware infections out of your computer. 

In conclusion, with Windows 11, we get solid identity protection, great antivirus, and many helpful tools to keep your computer virus-free. You will never need anything more than what Microsoft provides for most users.

Another big player on our list – macOS from Apple. A core operating system for all Mac computers has been seen by many as one of the most secure systems ever created. With everything being sealed in Apple’s enhanced universe – mail, browser, all the apps in the AppStore – the inventors behind this particular platform ensured nothing could come out. 

The engineering team created a perfect system for Apple’s hardware, safe from most cybersecurity threats. Additionally, Apple is more interesting than many other operating systems on our list because it provides one of the highest levels of privacy on the market. For example, even the FBI and CIA could not crack the macOS and iOS security, and Apple did not give them backdoor access, even when threatened with litigation.

So, if everything is so great, what is new with the latest (at the moment of writing this article) update called macOS Monterey? In this particular case, the engineers from Apple focused on Mail security. The new Mail Privacy Protection can now hide your IP address so no sender or receiver of your Mail can find your location. Additionally, they cannot see if you have read the email.

There are a couple of changes to Safari with Monterey. For example, with the new update, every HTTP address will be automatically upgraded to HTTPS. You can opt out of this option. The old-and-gold Intelligent Track Prevention also got an upgrade, similar to what we have seen with Mail, so now no web trackers can see your IP address. Regarding more minor details, now you will have a notification in the menu bar if an app is accessing your microphone.

So, what are the downsides of this system? Well, pretty much none. It’s hugely security, it takes care of your online activities, it’s privacy-focused and user-friendly – there’s a reason why people love Apple products. But – you need to have an Apple product. And getting one is not cheap, for sure. Compared with Windows, which can be installed anywhere, this operating system is strictly designed for Apple products and nothing else.

Next, we have the famous Linux operating system, one of the historically most secure systems ever created. Why was that? Well, it primarily protects the system from other users, as the root level, in this case, is available only from the POV of the administrator. So, to run any .exe file, you will need to enter the root password. It’s mostly protection for the user systems, as you will just have to remove the malware/spyware from the user version of the system with administrator access. With multi-user systems, it’s a great asset for sure. It’s something that Windows users could be jealous of. 

Also, contrary to Windows, Linux is an open-source operating system. It means it’s completely free, and plenty of Linux enthusiasts are constantly trying to find all the problems with the design and make it as secure as possible. Additionally, it’s not like hackers are focusing on this platform for their malware-based efforts. Fortunately for Linux users, the system is not that popular among the hacking community, so they are not focusing on updating their systems for Linux purposes. Although it’s getting increasingly popular, it’s unlikely that it will gain that much more recognition in the hacking community, solely because it’s much easier to find vulnerabilities among millions of users of macOS or Windows rather than Linux. If you want your computer programs to be safe – this open-source project is something to remember. And, as it gets regular updates, it’s an excellent choice for those who want to try something fresh and new.

Next, we have a contender for being the most secure system ever created – Chrome OS. And no, we don’t mean any mobile operating systems; it’s a fully actionable PC concept for everyone. Most experts agree it’s more secure than Windows, macOS, and Linux. The last one is surprising, as the operating system was created based on the Linux kernel.

So, what can you expect from Chrome OS? As this article focuses on security measures, we will not go into the design or usability. And there’s a lot to say about the security aspect for sure. This particular system aimed to create a host operating system for multiple virtual machines that would be unbeatable. Every update is automatic, so your security version is always the latest. You will not be surprised by an unknown attack because you forgot to update your system or whatnot. 

How did they get that high level of security for this system? Well, they used a tactic they called “sandboxing.” Each app you click on each website you enter is an isolated process from all the rest. It means that even if there is an attack on any part of the system, it can be quickly isolated and stopped before anything would happen. Then, you will just need to stop this particular process or uninstall this particular app, and you will be free to roam the internet or use apps. The sandbox metaphor refers to keeping every single process in a  “sandbox” of sorts where nothing can escape to other “sandboxes.”

Additionally, Chrome is great at fighting ransomware. It uses cloud services for that purpose, so everything is not being stored locally (or most things, at least), and everything is based on the “read-only” concept. So, any ransomware will not be able to make itself at home. 

Another security measure you can utilize is the “verified boot” option. It means that if the system has been changed in any way, shape, or form, it will be started in a special “boot” version in order to verify if it was attacked. When it comes to Linux distributions — it’s one of the best ever.

Those were the most popular OS that took most of the market share. Now, let’s go over to something more unique and less used. Introducing – Qubes OS, another operating system built upon Linux. What makes this particular system interesting? Well, if you like the design, you like the design, what can we say – it’s a personal preference. But, when it comes to securing your system, it has some interesting concepts.

So, how does it do it? Well, similarly to the Chrome OS, it uses application isolation. It utilizes isolated virtual machines with many different security domains. Then, those domains are implemented by each separate virtual machine.

Qubes OS uses a package management system, where each package contains separate information from each other. So, it does pretty much the same thing as Chrome, only it is a slightly different version. But – the end result is the same.

Who should invest in this system? Anyone who uses lots of apps on their computer, many from undisclosed sources. Then, it will be beneficial to get those separated. Most users – they will probably never even get close to using all of those possibilities, and, let’s be honest, Qubes OS grants you a lot fewer possibilities than what the other four can get you. So – only for the Qubes enthusiasts. 

Another “indie” system, also an open-source one, is the OpenBSD. This one, surprisingly, is based not on Linux but on the Berkeley Software Distribution. It was created by a team of well-intentioned individuals who wanted to create something to compete with the most popular operating systems on the market. 

What does it do differently when it comes to security measures? Well, it uses a multi-platform 4.4 BSD based on Unix. It aims to become one of the most secure systems ever created. How does it do? Well, it is still in development, and most of the work is not yet finished. Nevertheless, you can already see that there are plenty of good ideas in this concept. For example, it uses what is called an OpenSSH. It’s a networking tool that can create secure communication between unsecured hosts or networks.

What’s great about this system is that everything is always transparent, so you will see every update they add to their digital devices. So, it may not be the most secure OS yet, but it’s on its way there! If you like technological novelties and would like to try something completely different than what you were used to – it’s great fun to install this system and check out what they have planned for you.

And finally, we have the famous Whonix OS, another Linux-based operating system. This one goes one step further than all the other ones, as it is designed to be the most secure system to ever see the light of day. It focuses on the privacy and security of devices and grants the user the ability to be safe and anonymous online.

So, how does it manage to do that? Well, it’s pretty simple; unlike all the other ones, it uses the famous/infamous Tor network to hide all the information about the user, making it literally impossible for malware to find out where you are and what your IP address is. Every connection goes through the Tor network, and if the site does not allow it – it’s simply blocked.

Additionally, Whonix is known for its anti-tracking software, one of the best on the market. It uses a technique called Boot Clock Randomization in order to mislead the potential trackers and Secure Distributed Web Date.

All of Whoonix's traffic goes through two virtual machines. One is called the Workstation, which runs all the apps through an isolated network. The second one, Gateway, runs through Tor processes.

You can use it as an individual operating system or use its resources on any of the other OS. If you need to be double-secure – it’s the best way to do so.

So, what is our verdict in the end? Well, we cannot find any “mainstream” system that people actually use other than ChromeOS. The advantage of this particular system is that you always have the latest version, and developers make sure that no hack will be unnoticed and no process will get compromised. It’s an essential element of this system to create sandboxes for all the apps, processes, and websites visited so that there is no vulnerability for the whole system or any device. It’s basically impenetrable in the end.

Of course, it does not mean that it’s the only system worth recommending, as most of those on our list are pretty secure and will be great for most uses. If you have an Apple product – it’s basically a non-conversation; you will use macOS, and there is nothing you can do about it. Well, there are some options to install Windows or Chrome, but it would be nonsense. Most people buy Apple products for the operating system as well, so getting rid of it would be unwise.

In the end, what would be definitely worth recommending is the Windows 11. It’s a universal system that’s easy to use, has great security, and is just THE operating system of our lifetime. Of course, Linux is, well, less expensive than Windows, but with Royal CD Keys prices – you can get new Windows 11 for a few bucks. And it’s the same system you would get from the Microsoft store. Compared to the official price, it’s a bargain! 

That’s it for today. If you enjoyed this article, be sure to check out others on our site. We have a lot of office/gaming/software-related ones, so we are positive that you will find something for yourself. Thanks for stopping by, and we will see you in the next one!