Pentagon choosing open source, m$ running scared

[capybara]

see
http://www.headliner.nl/headliner.ph...bbr=linuxtoday
TUX MARCHES ON!

Tux, powered by the dark forces of the intelligence community..

w00t

[Schotty]

Tux, powered by the dark forces of the intelligence community..

w00t

Not dark, not bright would be my term. They are about 6 beers short of a six-pack.

[stryder144]

Stenbit said that the debate is academic and that what matters is how secure a given piece of software is. To that end, the Defense Department is now prohibited from purchasing any software that has not undergone security testing by the NSA. Stenbit said he is unaware of any open-source software that has been tested.

I guess it would be more correct to say that the DoD does not really use all that much open-source stuff. Being a member of the same DoD, I have not seen Linux in use, period. I have seen every flavor of Windows since 3.11 (except ME and XP). I have seen MS-DOS. I have seen Netware. I have even seen Solaris. No Linux, yet. I am really looking forward to seening it in use, though.

The biggest consumer of Linux actually appears to be DISA, which is really just interested in communications security. The NSA, not a member of the DoD, is obviously working on Linux. The DIA uses it, but it doesn't appear to be too widely used. Thankfully, the largest IT consumer in the world is looking into Linux. If it adopts Linux, then we are assured that Linux will prosper. (If the government uses Linux, then the contractors will use it, since they will want to be compliant with the US gov't. If the contractors use Linux, the normal user of computer systems for the contractors will start using Linux. If more and more people request Linux on their computers at home and at work, then we win.) So, let's hope that the US Government adopts large quantities of Linux (like they did with M$ products over the last ten years or so).

[ASCI_Blue]

Stenbit said that the debate is academic and that what matters is how secure a given piece of software is. To that end, the Defense Department is now prohibited from purchasing any software that has not undergone security testing by the NSA. Stenbit said he is unaware of any open-source software that has been tested

Is this guy an idiot or something? I'm pretty damned sure, as in I'm willing to bet my left nut sure that the NSA has created/modified their own distro of linux.

I do enjoy when I'm right. http://www.nsa.gov/selinux/

[ndogg]

stryder, perhaps you can answer this question. Obviously the NSA is using Linux, and if what Mr. Stenbit says is true, then why is there not more usage of Linux in the government? Or is that not a completely true statement?

[capybara]

well, if you read the article i linked to closely, it lists MANY
other current uses of *nix by the US Dept of Defense. Read what stenbit said:
they will not PURCHASE oss that hasnt been tested. in the future.
Well, no purchase needed! its already in use and free.
================================================== ======
Asci: wow: awesome link. im now the pround owner of the National Security Agency version of linux, called SELinux (security enhanced
linux)
FREE DOWNLOAD ! w007!
8) 8) 8)

[stryder144]

stryder, perhaps you can answer this question. *Obviously the NSA is using Linux, and if what Mr. Stenbit says is true, then why is there not more usage of Linux in the government? *Or is that not a completely true statement?

NSA doesn't "use" Linux for mission critical uses, per se. They have been toying with it for sometime now, trying to get it to a point where it would be considered secure. We use Solaris and Win2000 here at work (but not for long, the Solaris contract ran out). We don't use Linux, but it is possible that some agencies on base here use it.

As for the article, remember, the policy regarding NSA oversite of software purchases and ensuring that the software is secure, it is a recent requirement. Plus, the government will buy oss, either from Redhat or from IBM with support contracts, etc. So, all of the software that will be purchased will have to go through a major security audit. I am fairly certain that if the agencies that are using Linux right now will probably be allowed to continue using it until a "certified by NSA" replacement can be found.

I have tried to get Linux in my office numerous times. I have tried to get it set up where it will not be attached to the base intranet. I have met with no success. They keep asking about virus scanners. Go figure, the corporate mentality just won't go away.

Anyway, it won't take too much to get Linux deeply entrenched. It will just take the effort of a few die-hard Linux-fans in the NSA. What is cool is that NAI has a contract from NSA to help secure Linux. This will hopefully mean that Linux will get adopted. If not, I will continue to use it at home .

[Feztaa]

I have tried to get Linux in my office numerous times. I have tried to get it set up where it will not be attached to the base intranet. I have met with no success. They keep asking about virus scanners. Go figure, the corporate mentality just won't go away.

There are virus scanners for Linux. They scan for Windows viruses. Only useful for something along the lines of a mailserver, or a web/ftp server that accepts files from windows users.

I'm sure it wouldn't be terribly difficult to write a program that displayed a little animation saying "Scanning for viruses, please wait..." while it created and deleted a bunch of temp files (just to cause disk access, so you can hear it working), then display "done!", without actually having done anything useful. You could even have a random chance of it saying that some viruses were found and removed successfully. The suits would probably fall over themselves getting it installed everywhere

If not, I will continue to use it at home .

And if so?

[capybara]

[quote]
Yessss.... weve got a business idea! LOL!
Maybe we can run a program that says
c:\my_ progra~1 is virus free
and c:\applications is virus free
and c:\windows is virus free
just as a test to see who can figure out *nix has no
c:\