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U.S. Navy Patents the Firewall?

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the i'd-have-gone-after-antivirus dept.

Krishna Dagli writes to mention a post by Bruce Schneier on his site indicating that the U.S. Navy may be patenting the Firewall. Whether or not it is their intention to do so is unclear. From the patent description: "In a communication system having a plurality of networks, a method of achieving network separation between first and second networks is described. First and second networks with respective first and second degrees of trust are defined, the first degree of trust being higher than the second degree of trust. Communication between the first and second networks is enabled via a network interface system having a protocol stack, the protocol stack implemented by the network interface system in an application layer."

9 of 206 comments (clear)

  1. Ya ha! by Suspended_Reality · · Score: 5, Funny

    I was going to make a "first post", but I think I read the Army is patenting that. Part of their Military Initiative to kill first, ask questions later.

  2. Ah HA! by Mayhem178 · · Score: 3, Funny

    My Sorceress on Diablo II has prior art. She can lay down Firewalls like it's no one's business!

    Wait, what's this about networks?

    --

    "You will pay for your lack of vision..." - Emperor Palpatine to Ray Charles

  3. Kabooom! by 955301 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I can't wait to see how they deliver the cease and desist orders.

    --
    You are checking your backups, aren't you?
  4. Re:Time to patent my own idea by Trigun · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm going to patent old jokes. Just so I don't have to read that every time a patent story comes up on Slashdot.

  5. In other news... by digitaldc · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...ZoneAlarm patents sonar & stealth marine technology

    --
    He who knows best knows how little he knows. - Thomas Jefferson
  6. The future of warfare by StreamCipher · · Score: 3, Funny

    intellectual property lawyers will fight wars in courtrooms.

    Countries possessing patents of mass destruction (PMD) will be sanctioned first, and later sued by the Air Force.

    If other countries think we kick ass now, wait until they meet our legions of lawyers.

  7. US Navy Stock Price Up by Van+Cutter+Romney · · Score: 4, Funny

    USNVY - 23.40 +1.40

    --
    Help a man when he is in trouble and he will remember you when he is in trouble again.
  8. Re:Government patents? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Considering everything the US government does is taxpayer funded.

    Surely not everything? For example, I thought that most of the work of writing new laws was paid for privately by corporations and lobby groups. :P

  9. No one's said it yet? by QuantumFTL · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now that's what I call a Submarine Patent!

    *ducks*