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Date:      Mon, 13 Oct 1997 14:29:14 -0500 (CDT)
From:      Jim Bryant <jbryant@unix.tfs.net>
To:        brian@firehouse.net (Brian Mitchell)
Cc:        freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: C2 Trusted FreeBSD?
Message-ID:  <199710131929.OAA01709@argus.tfs.net>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSI.3.95.971013133750.23319A-100000@shell.firehouse.net> from Brian Mitchell at "Oct 13, 97 01:46:02 pm"

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In reply:
> > Well, certainly it could achieve C2, though we would need to do a *lot* of 
> > documentation and testing work, and we may need to include an ACL list based
> > filesystem, that depends on your reading of the Orange Book.  I'm not
> > experienced enough to tell what the "normal" interpretation of the
> > requirement that access should be controllable down to the granularity of a
> > single user is. In principle one can deny access to an object by creating a
> > group with everyone except that user in it and set that to be the object's group
> > but I'm not sure a certification group would consider that adequate.
> 
> I'm fairly certain acl is _not_ a requirement in the dcl segment of c2.
> acl is, after all, just another form of group control at its very base.

certification or not, i personally think that acl-based object access
is something that would work in FreeBSD's favor, especially given the
now infamous unix-slam from nt fans on the subject...

such a thing is needed if unix is to evolve with the market.  right
now, i really think that acl security is one of the few technical
things that nt has going for it.

> Yup, this is one of the biggest problems. You cant write to an object
> unless it has a security level that is precisely the same. You can only
> read unless it is the same or lower. Most people don't come close to
> needing B level security; and it is arguable if it is useful for
> commercial systems at all.

lotsa applications.  healthcare, process control, telecom...  High
Availability drivers would be a plus too...

> > Now, if we introduce such things we get a somewhat different view of the
> > world than the traditional UNIX-like security model. I do not know if it 
> > possible to maintain a good enough match to enable us to continue to easily 
> > port UNIX based software to FreeBSD.
> > 
> Most unix admins dont easily give up the whole idea of the superuser,
> which would probably be required for B level.

the way i read it, a compatability mode is not addressed by the
standards, and thus could possibly pass certification.

such a mode would be an absolute necessity for the above mentioned reasons.

jim
-- 
All opinions expressed are mine, if you    |  "I will not be pushed, stamped,
think otherwise, then go jump into turbid  |  briefed, debriefed, indexed, or
radioactive waters and yell WAHOO !!!      |  numbered!" - #1, "The Prisoner"
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