Trusted Operating System (TOS) generally refers to an operating system that provides sufficient support for multilevel security and evidence of correctness to meet a particular set of government requirements.
The most common set of criteria for trusted operating system design is the Common Criteria combined with the Security Functional Requirements (SFRs) for Labeled Security Protection Profile(LSPP) and Mandatory Access Control(MAC). The Common Criteria is the result of a multi-year effort by the governments of the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, the Netherlands and other countries to develop a harmonized security criteria for IT products.
Examples of certified trusted operating systems are:
- Apple Mac OS X 10.6 (Rated EAL 3+)
- HP-UX 11i v3 (Rated EAL 4+)
- Some Linux distributions (Rated up to EAL 4+)
- Microsoft Windows 7 and Microsoft Server 2008 R2 (Rated EAL 4+)
- AIX 5L with PitBull Foundation (Rated EAL 4+)
- Trusted Solaris
- Trusted UNICOS 8.0 (Rated B1)
- XTS-400 (Rated EAL5+)
Examples of operating systems that might be certifiable are:
- FreeBSD with the TrustedBSD extensions
- SELinux (see FAQ)
Companies that have created trusted operating systems include:
- Addamax (BSD, SVR3, SVR4, HP/UX)
- Argus Systems Group (Solaris, AIX, Linux)
- AT&T (System V)
- BAE Systems (XTS Unix)
- Bull (AIX)
- Data General (DG/UX)
- Digital Equipment Corporation (Ultrix)
- Gemini Computers (GEMSOS)
- General Dynamics C4 Systems (Linux)
- Harris Corporation (SVR3, SVR4)
- Hewlett-Packard (HP/UX)
- Honeywell (Multics)
- IBM (OS/390, AIX)
- SCO (SCO Unix)
- Secure Computing Corporation (LOCK, Mach, BSD)
- SecureWare (Apple A/UX, HP/UX, SCO)
- Sequent (Dynix/ptx)
- Silicon Graphics (IRIX)
- Sun Microsystems (SunOS, Solaris)
- Trusted Information Systems (Xenix, Mach)
Famous quotes containing the words trusted, operating and/or system:
“Suspicion all our lives shall be stuck full of eyes;
Treason is but trusted like the fox,
Who never so tame, so cherished and locked up,
Will have a wild trick of his ancestors.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
“Many people operate under the assumption that since parenting is a natural adult function, we should instinctively know how to do it—and do it well. The truth is, effective parenting requires study and practice like any other skilled profession. Who would even consider turning an untrained surgeon loose in an operating room? Yet we “operate” on our children every day.”
—Louise Hart (20th century)
“We are now going through a period of demolition. In morals, in social life, in politics, in medicine, and in religion there is a universal upturning of foundations. But the day of reconstruction seems to be looming, and now the grand question is: Are there any sure and universal principles that will evolve a harmonious system in which we shall all agree?”
—Catherine E. Beecher (1800–1878)