Which operating system is most secure? The answer is "not Windows".
Webware runs on Windows just fine using either IIS or Apache 1.3. If you're already using Windows and comfortable with it then feel free to run Webware.
However, keep in mind that by and large the majority of worms, viruses, trojan horses, etc. spread through and attack Microsoft products including Windows, IIS and Outlook.
FreeBSD and Linux are generally good choices for secure systems. Of course, with any operating system, you must review and monitor your security measures. If not managed properly any system can be insecure.
OpenBSD would seem like a good choice since security is its theme, but the last reports (summer 2001?) were that the threaded WebKit app server did not run properly on it.
Below are a few references to these problems. Feel free to add.
-- ChuckEsterbrook - 10 Dec 2001
So far the Oracle fortress is holding up, mostly because the attackers are trying to break in by exploiting potential holes in Windows NT and Oracle is running Oracle 9i Application Server on Unix (news - web sites), according t o Jarvis.
...
"Microsoft (Corp.) (Nasdaq:MSFT - news) doesn't even use NT on their own Web site. They use Unix," he added. "It's rather ironic."
Microsoft executives were unavailable for comment, a spokeswoman said on Thursday and Friday
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011209/wr/tech_oracle_unbreakable_dc_1.html
-- ChuckEsterbrook - 10 Dec 2001
Above link appears broken. See http://www.counterpane.com/crypto-gram-0202.html for details on Oracle's claim to security fame. AndrewHallam - 29 Mar 2002.
...Nimda... is a mass-mailing worm that utilizes multiple methods to spread itself. The name of the virus came from the reversed spelling of "admin" . The worm sends itself out by email, searches for open network shares, attempts to copy itself to unpatched or already vulnerable Microsoft IIS web servers, an d is a virus infecting both local files and files on remote network shares.
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/w32.nimda.a@@mm.html
-- ChuckEsterbrook - 10 Dec 2001
In May [2001], hackers took control of at least 9,000 Microsoft IIS sites, according to Attrition.org, a site tracking Web site break-ins.
http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/news/0,4586,2779525,00.html
-- ChuckEsterbrook - 10 Dec 2001
"Code Blue virus exploits IIS hole" http://www.vnunet.com/News/1125322
-- ChuckEsterbrook - 10 Dec 2001
Comments on Microsoft security:
http://news.com.com/2010-1072-831385.html http://news.com.com/2010-1078-818611.html
-- ChuckEsterbrook - 29 Mar 2002