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Yes, there are. Nearly every vendor has their own high-security version of
some operating system or other. Other operating systems have add-on
packages that provide enhanced security. There are even high-security
versions of Linux.
While it is nice to have an operating system that's been through
orange-book ratings, keep in mind that there's no such thing as an
orange-book rated Web server. The orange-book ratings all assume there is
no network attached to the computer. I know I'm being a stickler when I say
this, but the minute you put that ethernet cable into the jack, you're no
longer B1.
All these systems give what are called "mandatory controls," as opposed to
"discretionary controls." Discretionary controls are ones that the users
(and sysadmins) can set up the way they want. Mandatory controls are
protections that the operating system enforces, ones that can't be changed
for love or money.
The government systems use mandatory controls to enforce (for example)
rules that state that an unclassified user can create but cannot read a
classified document, a classified user cannot create an unclassified
document, but can read one. These sort of controls may, or may not, help
you set up an HR Web server.
Systems that have mandatory controls are more secure than systems with
discretionary controls. They're also harder to set up and more annoying to
use. If you set it up with the wrong policy, then you may end up with a
mandatorily-enforced insecure system. I don't know anyone who's ever set
one up without muttering a stream of choice Anglo-Saxon terms in the
process.
Think of it this way -- suppose you hired a guard for your house who made
sure that everyone who goes in and out has their bags searched and gets
patted down, no exceptions. It would make you far safer, but you're also
going to get irritated when you get patted down before and after stepping
out in your bathrobe and slippers just to get the Sunday paper. It may be
worth it, it may not. I can't make that decision, only you can. An HR Web
server that has access to sensitive employee data sounds to me like a fine
candidate for an ultra-secure server. The HP system is a good one. If you
already use HP-UX, it may do you good. If you're open to other options,
look around.
This was first published in October 2001
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