Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

IBM Clinches Security Certification for Linux

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the we're-like-secure-or-something dept.

Nimey writes "IBM has gotten Linux certified under the Common Criteria specification. " What this means is that government can consider Linux when making purchasing decisions. Linux got the highest rating possible.

8 of 373 comments (clear)

  1. Another link by manduwok · · Score: 5, Informative

    CNN.com has this story too.

  2. Big win for Linux! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Microsoft set out to get Win2K certified and only completed the process last October according to .

    Linux now has the upper hand because MS does not yet have XP certified.

  3. Re:Alright...? by azzy · · Score: 5, Informative

    I think what this means is that they can pick Linux and have a piece of paper supporting their choice. Got to cover their own backs I guess.

  4. Re:Just wondering.. by nakhla · · Score: 5, Informative

    I believe Linux received an EAL 2. Windows 2000, however has received an EAL 4. An EAL 4 involves more security checks and requirements.

  5. Over-hype - not highest rating possible by eer · · Score: 5, Informative

    The EAL2+ assurance level achieved is NOT the highest rating possible by a long, long shot - it's actually close to the lowest. But, it's a great start.

    IBM and SuSE say they're working on a higher level CAPP evaluation, which roughly equates to the old C2 TCSEC criteria.

  6. Re:Just wondering.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Check out here: http://www.commoncriteria.org/

  7. Re:Can vs. Will by idontgno · · Score: 5, Informative
    There are a lot of factors, indeed, but at in least one US military IT acquisition that I'm familiar with, the choice of OS platform was driven purely by purchase cost. That's why this contract chose Major-Brand (tm) PCs with some flavor of RedHat (with support contract) to succeed Sun Ultra workstations running Slowlaris(tm), the incumbent system in the field. Customer wanted to drive the acquisition cost down down down.

    Even the greediest government agency has to operate within budget, after all. And in the US military, budgets have held mostly constant while obligations associated with things like war-fighting have gone up, so your non-combat line items get shrunk to make up the difference.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  8. Re:Just wondering.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can get an overview at networkcomputing.com or at the common citeria web site.