A QUESTION FROM SUN VALLEY, CA

A QUESTION FROM SUN VALLEY, CA

[Robert Adams]

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Hello
 
Some time ago, you informed me that resultant SELinux operating system
would be subjected to a Common Criteria Test by Red Hat.
 
The concept of open-source provides the user access to the source code
for purposes of correcting errors and making needed modifications.
 
Isn't the concept of open-source and the common criteria test somewhat
inconsistent?  Is the certification provided by common-criteria
nullified when the user makes a change to the SELinux operating system?
 
Please comment
 
Thank You
 
Robert Adams

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Re: A QUESTION FROM SUN VALLEY, CA

[Mark]

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the way I understand things is that you cannot make a change to the code,
but you can tweak the configuration


-- 
..Cheers
Mark

On 8/8/07, Robert Adams <whatifwe@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
>
>  Hello
>
>
>
> Some time ago, you informed me that resultant SELinux operating system
> would be subjected to a Common Criteria Test by Red Hat.
>
>
>
> The concept of open-source provides the user access to the source code for
> purposes of correcting errors and making needed modifications.
>
>
>
> Isn't the concept of open-source and the common criteria test somewhat
> inconsistent?  Is the certification provided by common-criteria nullified
> when the user makes a change to the SELinux operating system?
>
>
>
> Please comment
>
>
>
> Thank You
>
>
>
> Robert Adams
>

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Re: A QUESTION FROM SUN VALLEY, CA

[Stephen Smalley]

On Wed, 2007-08-08 at 14:48 -0400, Mark wrote:
> the way I understand things is that you cannot make a change to the
> code, but you can tweak the configuration

Depends on whether the configuration in question is security relevant.
Security policy configuration would be relevant as part of meeting some
security goal.

-- 
Stephen Smalley
National Security Agency


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Re: A QUESTION FROM SUN VALLEY, CA

[Stephen Smalley]

On Wed, 2007-08-08 at 11:31 -0700, Robert Adams wrote:
> Hello
> 
>  
> 
> Some time ago, you informed me that resultant SELinux operating system
> would be subjected to a Common Criteria Test by Red Hat.

First, to clarify, SELinux is just an implementation of flexible MAC for
Linux, not its own distinct operating system, and SELinux by itself has
not and will not be evaluated - one would evaluate a complete system
that might include SELinux.  Products that incorporate SELinux have
undergone evaluation, see http://niap-ccevs.org for information on
validated products and products in evaluation.  It is those products
that are evaluated/validated, not SELinux per se, although the product's
evaluation may have included coverage of the SELinux functionality.

> The concept of open-source provides the user access to the source code
> for purposes of correcting errors and making needed modifications.
> 
>  
> 
> Isn't the concept of open-source and the common criteria test somewhat
> inconsistent?  Is the certification provided by common-criteria
> nullified when the user makes a change to the SELinux operating
> system?

The certification is invalidated if a security-relevant change is made,
yes, although there is a process for maintaining a certificate as
changes are made, e.g. for updates.

The user is still free to make modifications, but unsurprisingly the
modified result is not covered by a prior certification.  That's no
different than the fact that a user is free to make modifications but
doing so may invalidate his warranty/support agreement with the Linux
vendor and may invalidate certification by ISVs that their applications
will run on the system.

-- 
Stephen Smalley
National Security Agency


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A QUESTION FROM SUN VALLEY, CA.

[Robert Adams]

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Hello:

How are you planning to certify/demonstrate that the code being developed for SELinux is sufficiently error-free and robust to support your enhanced security goals?

I would like to see the test plan associated with this certification process.

Please send me a link if it is available.

Thank You

Robert Adams
www.whatifwe.com
robert.adams@whatifwe.com

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