On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 17:06:27 +1200, peterwn wrote:
> impossible wrote:
>> "peterwn" <peterwn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:1189453402.897092.212190@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> See:
>>> http://www.stuff.co.nz/4197227a10.html
>>>
>>> New Zealand's Security Intelligence (NZ's CIA equivalent) has
>>> uncovered cyber attacks on Government computers by foreign powers.
>>>
>>> If there is any reason to ditch un-auditable closed soft software and
>>> adopt instead transparent open source software (with Government
>>> written special 'proprietary' tweaksif need be especially for maximum
>>> security applications), this is it.
>>>
>>> This pushes almost into insignificance 'total cost of ownership' and
>>> other arguments favouring continuance with a certain prominent
>>> proprietary software product line.
>>>
>>
>> The article says nothing about what software was compromised.
>
> Agreed
>
>> Do you have
>> inside knowledge?
>
> No. In particular I would not have any idea what software SIS, GCSB and
> MFAT (NZ's key security and foreign affairs agencies), but IMO if they
> had any sense they would use hardened Linux based systems for sensitive
> applications. Of course there would be a 'neither confirm nor deny'
> policy on this and quite rightly so.
>
I wouldn't. I'd be using Unix, probably Solaris on non-x86 kit. Or, more
likely, something like vms.
Why? Because there's less knowledge about those operating systems, NZ
isn't a superpower where the information gleaned is going to be worth huge
amounts, so very few people are going to try.
Just my $0.02.
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