Better security: Microsoft or Oracle?

What vendor – Microsoft or Oracle – has the more secure database platform? That began as a fun question for David Litchfield of Next Generation Security Software Ltd, but it has turned into a serious project. Litchfield published a paper that looks at the number of reported security flaws for Microsoft’s SQL Server and Oracle’s RDBMS dating back to 2000. If one had to guess the results, the obvious answer would be Microsoft given its Operating System track record. But Litchfield says, those looking for a secure system might do well to stay way from Oracle as a serious contender. Do you agree or disagree?