FC: PGP and NSA link arms to create secure Linux version

[Will Price]

NAI Labs has been announcing these kinds of deals for years (long before
Phil Z left). They used to be called TIS Labs. They are a security
research arm of NAI unaffiliated with the development group. Their
business is mostly government computer security research. This is nothing
new, and yes they were making very similar contracts 5 years ago.

The likely result of this is an open source high security version of
Linux. I don't know what planet you're from if you have a problem with that.




> Oh, boy. I bet *this* drums up some business for Hush Communications, boys
> and girls.
> 
> Cheers,
> RAH
> 

> --- begin forwarded text
> 
> Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2001 12:22:07 -0400
> From: Declan McCullagh <declan at well.com>
> To: politech at politechbot.com
> Subject: FC: PGP and NSA link arms to create secure Linux version
> User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.2i
> Sender: owner-politech at politechbot.com
> Reply-To: declan at well.com
> 
> [Bet y'all didn't see this coming, say, five years ago. --Declan]
> 
> http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/04-09-2001/0001464825&EDATE=
> 
> PGP Security's NAI Labs Partner With National Security Agency to
> Develop Secure Linux
> 
> Contract Will Ensure Secure Open Source Operating System for Business
> Critical Internet Infrastructures
> 
>     SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- NAI Labs, a division of
> PGP Security, a Network Associates, Inc. (Nasdaq: NETA) company, today
> announced they are joining with the National Security Agency (NSA) and its
> other partners to further develop the NSA's Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux)
> prototype.  The $1.2 million will be paid over the life of the two-year
> contract, and the work will focus on research and development to improve the
> security of open-source operating system platforms, the core of Internet
> infrastructures that have become business critical in today's economy.
>     The work will reduce the threat of security breaches caused by flawed or
> even malicious applications.  The contract builds upon NSA's prior work in
> developing a set of new security controls for the Linux kernel and NAI Labs'
> prior work in developing an example security policy configuration for these
> controls and several additional kernel controls.
>      "NAI Labs continues to work with the government to ensure secure Internet
> infrastructure.  The President's National Coordinator for Security and the
> President's Information Technology Advisory Committee have called for
> increasing the federal government's role as both a user and contributor of
> open source software," said Terry Benzel, Vice President, Advanced Security
> Research and Director of NAI Labs.  "Open source platforms provide the basis
> for developing online communication and business strategies, and our work
> ensures that the building blocks are secure."
>     Operating systems provide the foundation for system security, yet
> mainstream operating systems lack critical security features needed to enforce
> security policies.  NSA and NAI Labs have recognized the need to improve the
> security of operating systems.  Linux was chosen by the NSA because its
> growing success and open development environment provided an opportunity to
> demonstrate that the security functionality added by SELinux can be successful
> in a mainstream operating system.  NAI Labs will work with the NSA and its
> other partners to develop additional security controls, configure the security
> policy and represent the security enhancements to the Linux community.
> SELinux includes security enhancements to the operating system that can
> enforce the separation of information based on the confidentiality and
> integrity requirements.
>     The security mechanisms of SELinux provide flexible support that allows
> customization for a wide range of security policies in order to meet various
> security requirements.  Support for security policies is required in order to
> protect data on end systems; however, needs are different for every company
> and every industry.  Flexible support for policies is required, since an
> organization must be able to tailor the policy to meet its particular security
> requirements and threat environment.  NAI Labs' and NSA's efforts will improve
> the security of open source operating systems so that they can be effectively
> applied to protect corporate data.
>     NAI Labs is an industry leading security research organization with
> 100 dedicated researchers in four research facilities throughout the
> United States and is a founding member of the Security Research Alliance.
> NAI Labs is a multi-discipline research organization with world-renowned
> expertise in the areas of network security, applied cryptographic
> technologies, secure execution environments, security infrastructure, adaptive
> network defenses, distributed systems security, and information assurance.  In
> addition to its prominent role in the security research community, all
> unclassified network and cryptographic research is shared with Network
> Associates' product development and support organizations to enable superior
> solutions for Network Associates customers.
>     PGP Security, a Network Associates company, is a worldwide leader in
> products and services focusing on solving privacy and data confidentiality
> issues, and has a strong history of setting security industry standards.
> PGP Security's breadth of security products, including firewall, encryption,
> intrusion detection, risk assessment and VPN technologies, address the full
> range of security and privacy issues, anywhere information is transmitted or
> stored.  PGP Security's products secure over seven million users and include
> several of the industry's well-known security brands, including Gauntlet
> Firewall and VPN, PGP Data Security, CyberCop Scanner, and PGP e-ppliances.
> PGP Security's COVERT research team identifies and works to resolve serious
> vulnerabilities before attackers are able to exploit them.  The findings are
> incorporated into the product offerings, ensuring protection from the latest
> vulnerabilities.  For more information and software evaluations, visit
> http://www.pgp.com .
> 
>     About Network Associates
>     With headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., Network Associates, Inc. is a
> leading supplier of security and availability solutions for e-businesses.
> Network Associates is comprised of four business units:  McAfee, delivering
> world class anti-virus products; PGP Security, providing firewall, intrusion
> detection and encryption products; Sniffer Technologies, a leader in network
> and application management; and Magic Solutions, providing web-based service
> desk solutions.  For more information, Network Associates can be reached at
> 972-308-9960 or on the Internet at http://www.nai.com .
>     NOTE:  Network Associates, PGP, McAfee, Sniffer, Magic Solutions,
> Gauntlet, CyberCop and CyberCop Scanner are registered trademarks of
> Network Associates, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and/or other
> countries.  All other registered and unregistered trademarks in this document
> are the sole property of their respective owners.
> 
>     SOURCE Network Associates Inc.
>     Web Site: http://www.nai.com
>     Photo Notes: NewsCom:
>     http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19991104/NETALOGO AP Archive:
>     http://photoarchive.ap.org PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or
>     201-369-3467
>     Company News On Call:
>     http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/124004.html or fax, 800-758-5804,
>     ext. 124004



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