Security in Computing, Third Edition

5.9. Where the Field Is Headed

The field of trusted operating systems advanced significantly during the 1970s and early 1980s due to major investment by the U.S. government and other governments, especially the defense departments. Progress slowed when funding stopped. Trusted, trustworthy, or secure operating systems do not seem to be commercially viable, and without a large government market to spur the new products and approaches, little innovation occurs. In a move reminiscent of the 1978 Computer Security Act (leading to the Orange book) and the later “C2 by '92” directive (requiring all computing systems for U.S. Defense Department use to have passed at least a C2 evaluation), the U.S. Defense Department has required national security organizations ...