SINGAPORE--Vulnerabilities of its Windows operating system may cost Microsoft dearly as the Japanese government is set to evaluate open-source alternatives to beef up computer security.

The authorities are contemplating the move for its e-government projects because problems in open platforms such as Linux are thought to be easier to fix, Kyodo News reported. Windows is currently the dominant choice in government computers and servers but the tide could turn with the launch of Japan’s open-source study next year.

To spearhead the initiative, the authorities have put together a panel of experts to study cases of non-Windows deployments in the public sector.

The team will assess security management issues in these projects and determine if the system is suitable for broader implementation.

Open-source movements such as Linux, have been gaining steam in Asia. Officials in India's Department of Information Technology in New Delhi disclosed details of a move called the Linux India Initiative just weeks before Microsoft chairman Bill Gate’s recent visit to the country.

China is also seen as another Asian stronghold for open-source software.

According to a survey by research firm Evans Data, Linux use in the mainland is expected to jump next year.