MILS:
Multiple Independent Layers of Security

        CSDS is partnered with NSA, Lockheed-Martin, Rockwell-Collins, Objective Interface Systems, and several other agencies in a large national project (the “Federal Initiative for Theoretical Foundations of MILS CORBA Middleware") to increase the state of the art in design and analysis of high-assurance systems (those in which failure can result in loss of life, financial loss, or a detriment to national security). The current focus of this project is on software components for deeply embedded real-time control systems, such as those found on aircraft. CSDS is working on several aspects of this project through our team of two dozen individuals (PIs, researchers, and students), and have contributed to the development of public standards for the security features of high-assurance components. We have developed and are continuing to develop formal models for the components and their interactions, and are refining existing software engineering process to tailor them for high-assurance software development. Recently, we established a testbed for real-time embedded systems to allow for the prototyping of high-assurance software components developed from our formal models.

 [Presentations] [Publications] [Reports]

UI's Role in MILS

• Provide mathematical foundations for concepts
  • MILS CORBA mathematical models and proof techniques (for EAL7+ certification)
  • MILS hierarchy proofs for security policy composition
• Provide Architectural Design Guidance
  • Support in development of protection profiles
  • Development of design features that enable tractable and maintainable formal models and proofs
  • Exploration (experimentation) in performance/security tradeoffs of design features

Accomplishments to Date

Certification Guidance

• Mapping of DO-178B to Common Criteria EAL5
  • Executive Summary (Feb 2002 pdf)
    • similar to "C. Taylor,  J. Alves-Foss, and B. Rinker. "Merging Safety and Assurance: The Process of Dual Certification for Software" In Proc. STC, April 2002. (pdf)
  • Presentation Slides (April 2002 pdf)
  • Full Comparison Report (Feb 2002 pdf)
• Assistance with Partitioning Kernel Protection Profile (June 2003 version 1.3 (pdf) (word))
• Assistance with Partitioning Communication Protection Profile (Aug 2003 version )
• Development of MILS CORBA Protection Profile (Sept. 2003 version 0.52 (pdf) (word))
• Design papers
  • J. Alves-Foss. "The Architecture of Secure Systems", In Proc. HICSS, Jan 1998. (pdf)
  • C. Taylor,  J. Alves-Foss, and B. Rinker. "Merging Safety and Assurance: The Process of Dual Certification for Software" In Proc. STC, April 2002. (pdf)
  • J. Alves-Foss, S. Harrison and P. Oman. "Application Note: Efficient Message Passing in MILS Systems", Dec. 2003 (*DRAFT* pdf)
  • J. Alves-Foss, C. Taylor and P. Oman. "A Multi-layered Approach to Security in High Assurance Systems", In Proc. HICSS, 2004. (pdf)

Idaho Partitioning Machine

• Formal Model (in ACL2) of a Partitioning Microprocessor
  • P. O'Connell, "The Idaho Partitioning Machine: A MILS Partitioning Kernel Model in ACL2", MS Thesis, Dept. Computer Science, University of Idaho. Dec 2002.  (*DRAFT* pdf)
  • J. Alves-Foss, P. O'Connell, J. Marshall, M. Benke, B. Rinker, and C. Taylor. "The Idaho Partitioning Machine: A Study in a MILS Hardware Partitioning Kernel", Nov 2002. (pdf)
  • ACL-2 Code Directory

Security Policy

• J. Alves-Foss, B. Rinker, M. Benke, J. Marshall, P. O'Connell, C. Taylor. "Formal Modeling of Security Policies for Multi-partition Systems", Dec 2002. (pdf) (ACL2 Code)

Presentations

• STC April 2002 (pdf)
• Lockheed, June 2002.  (PowerPoint) (pdf)
• MILS Kickoff, Dec 2002 (PowerPoint) (pdf)
• Feb 2003 (PowerPoint) (pdf)
• UC Davis, March 2003  (PowerPoint) (pdf)
• STC April 2003 (PowerPoint) (pdf)
• Dahlgren Presentation Aug 2003 (PowerPoint) (pdf)
• OMG Presentation Sept 2003 (PowerPoint) (pdf)

• MILS Animation #1  (PowerPoint)
• MILS Animation #2  (PowerPoint)
• Lockheed Contract SOW Details, Dec 2002 (PowerPoint) (pdf)

Publications

• C. Taylor,  J. Alves-Foss, and B. Rinker. "Merging Safety and Assurance: The Process of Dual Certification for Software" In Proc. STC, April 2002. (pdf)
• J. Alves-Foss. "The Architecture of Secure Systems", In Proc. HICSS, Jan 1998. (pdf)
• C. Taylor,  J. Alves-Foss, and B. Rinker. "Merging Safety and Assurance: The Process of Dual Certification for Software" In Proc. STC, April 2002. (pdf)
• J. Alves-Foss, S. Harrison and P. Oman. "Application Note: Efficient Message Passing in MILS Systems", Dec. 2003 (*DRAFT* pdf)
• J. Alves-Foss, C. Taylor and P. Oman. "A Multi-layered Approach to Security in High Assurance Systems", In Proc. HICSS, 2004. (pdf)

Technical Reports

• J. Alves-Foss, B. Rinker and C. Taylor. "Towards Common Criteria Certification for DO-178B Compliant Airborne Systems" (Feb 2002 pdf)
• MILS CORBA Protection Profile (Sept. 2003 version 0.52 (pdf) (word))