Trusted operating system

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. The Common Criteria is the result of a multi-year effort by the governments of the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Netherlands to develop a harmonized security criteria for IT products.

Examples of certified trusted operating systems are:

• HP-UX 10.26
• Microsoft Windows
• PitBull for AIX 5L
• Trusted Solaris
• Trusted UNICOS 8.0 (Rated B1)
• XTS-400

Examples of operating systems that might be certifiable are:

• FreeBSD
• SELinux (see FAQ)
• Linux

Companies that have created trusted operating systems include:

• Addamax (BSD, SVR3, SVR4, HP/UX)
• Argus Systems Group (Solaris, AIX)
• AT&T (System V)
• Bull (AIX)
• Data General (DG/UX)
• Digital Equipment Corporation (Ultrix)
• Gemini Computers (GEMSOS)
• Harris Corporation (SVR3, SVR4)
• Hewlett-Packard (HP/UX)
• Honeywell (Multics)
• IBM (OS/390, AIX)
• Microsoft (Microsoft Windows)
• 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)
• BAE Systems (XTS Unix)

See also

• Comparison of operating systems
• Security-evaluated operating system
• Security focused operating system

External links

• Carnegie Mellon SEI (description/definition of trusted operating systems)
• NSA FAQ on SELinux
• Argus Systems
• EnGarde Secure Linux