[Info-vax] VSI strategy for OpenVMS

[Simon Clubley]

On 2021-09-16, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
> On 9/16/2021 1:50 PM, Simon Clubley wrote:
>> On 2021-09-16, Arne Vajhøj <arne at vajhoej.dk> wrote:
>>> On 9/15/2021 7:07 PM, kemain.nospam at gmail.com wrote:
>>>> It will be interesting to see if OpenVMS runs into this same challenge not
>>>> that it will soon be released on X86-64.
>>>
>>> I don't think the change in HW platform would result in many more
>>> patches.
>> 
>> It's not that clear Arne. The change in architecture to x86-64 will bring
>> along security researchers who have tools for probing operating systems
>> running on that architecture.
>
> I am not convinced that the number of people:
> - interested in checking VMS
> - willing to get and install VMS on a standard VM
> - not willing to get and install VMS on a VAX or Alpha emulator
> is that big.
>

There are more tools available for probing operating systems running
on x86-64 than there are for those same operating systems running on
VAX or Alpha.

There are other reasons the barriers to probing on x86-64 are lower
as well. For example, those researchers are far more likely to know
in great detail the x86-64 architecture (when writing shellcode, etc)
than they would the VAX or Alpha architectures.

Simon.

-- 
Simon Clubley, clubley at remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.