RE: The Register: OpenVMS among most-secure of operating systems

From: Dan Allen (dallen_at_nist.gov)
Date: 01/22/04 

Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004 09:46:40 -0500

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bob Koehler [mailto:koehler@eisner.nospam.encompasserve.org]
> Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2004 8:41 AM
> To: Info-VAX@Mvb.Saic.Com
> Subject: RE: The Register: OpenVMS among most-secure of operating
> systems
>
>
> In article <BCEGLBGJDODLELBJIADKKECMCMAA.dallen@nist.gov>, "Daniel Allen" <dallen@nist.gov> writes:
>
> > It helps if you start with security as job 1.
>
> I would not claim that for VMS 1 on VAXen. (Not a great password
> encryption algorithm.) It really did start to hit the ground on
> security at about VMS 4.0, and after a well known non-technical hack.

        Nor stable at V1 ;-) hence the installation of V2. A 32 bit virtual address space was obviously the primary design goal of
VAX/VMS. I was simply alluding to the number of security features, VAX calling standard, system of named priviliges, consistent
system service parameter checking, ... that was present even at that early stage. That showed a serious early on focus on a robust
security model - weak password algorithm et al not withstanding. That's an item missing from the ingredient list of the Snake Oil(s)
shipping at that time.

Dan
>
>
>

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