KSOS—Computer network applications

Abstract

The need for multilevel security in computer systems has become well known. In the military, lacking such systems makes costs higher than they should be because of the need either to replicate facilities or perform "color changes" (shutting down and purging systems between uses at varying levels) in order to deny less-cleared users access to highly-classified information, and desirable functions which would require the controlled intermixing of data at different security levels are simply not yet done. The Government’s concern with such matters is amply reflected in Reference 9 . Outside the military, it is clear that most if not all funds transfer systems, for example, would benefit from the other side of the security coin—that is, although the major military threat is compromise of data, the major financial threat is alteration of data. In both broad areas, a free-standing multilevel secure operating system would be a distinct asset. The Kemelized Secure Operating System is meant to be just such a system, and in these terms alone is of considerable interest. This paper, though, will address potential applications of KSOS in areas other than as a free-standing system.