[Info-vax] OpenVMS versus Windows/GE Telemetry Control Systems.

[Bill Gunshannon]

In article <kd52bk$as$1 at dont-email.me>,
	David Froble <davef at tsoft-inc.com> writes:
> Stephen Hoffman wrote:
>> On 2013-01-15 20:27:19 +0000, Stephen Hoffman said:
>> 
>>> On 2013-01-15 20:10:04 +0000, Bob Gezelter said:
>>>
>>>> I note that my published recommendation for nearly twenty years has 
>>>> been to "air-gap" process control systems from the general corporate 
>>>> network as well as the public Internet [citation: Computer Security 
>>>> Handbook, 3rd Edition].
>>>
>>> That approach is great.  In theory.  But the air gap is not always 
>>> practical.   As Stuxnet showed, there are ways to jump the air gap, too.
>> 
>> And not three minutes after posting that:
>> 
>> http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/01/two-us-power-plants-infected-with-malware-spread-via-usb-drive/ 
>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> I seem to recall that the USB ports on Alphas were not functional under 
> VMS.  If that's correct, then another security notch for VMS ...
> 
>:-)

So, in order to be safe you have to give up some convenience.

And the same is true of any system.  Security people always walk a thin
line between convenience and safety.

And one simple, well published parameter and it is a non-threat to
Windows systems as well.  Without completely giving up the USB port.

bill

-- 
Bill Gunshannon          |  de-moc-ra-cy (di mok' ra see) n.  Three wolves
billg999 at cs.scranton.edu |  and a sheep voting on what's for dinner.
University of Scranton   |
Scranton, Pennsylvania   |         #include <std.disclaimer.h>