Answer the following questions.

Requirements are often difficult to derive, especially when the environments in which the system will function, and the specific tasks it will perform, are unknown. Explain the problems that this causes during development of assurance.

Why is the waterfall model of software engineering the most commonly used method for development of trusted systems?

Why does the Boyer-Moore theorem prover perform induction only when the other five steps fail to simplify the formula? Why does it not try induction first?


What are the conceptual differences between a reference validation mechanism, a trusted computing base, and the TOE Security Functions?

Identify the specific requirements in the Common Criteria that describe a reference validation mechanism. Hint: Look in both security functional classes and security assurance classes.

Can the UNIX Bourne shell variable HOME, which identifies the home directory of a user to programs that read start-up files from the user's home directory, be used to compromise a system? If so, how?

The NRL classification scheme has three axes: genesis, time of introduction, and location. Name two other axes that would be of interest to an analyst. Justify your answer.

In the NRL classification scheme for the "time of introduction" axis, must the development phase precede the maintenance and operation phases, and must the maintenance phase precede the operation phase? Justify your answer.

Essay Question:

Type-1 certification (TOP SECRET) focuses on Development Methodology. How would you address this certification issue with your hypothetical company (make up one for this problem) for your system (for example: operating system) that you are trying to certify at the TOP SECRET level?

This certification issue focuses on two areas:

(a) Software Development Process and

(b) Life Cycle Model. Hint: Remember; you are focusing on security as your top priority for this case and not necessarily performance. (All the external information (outside of your textbook) you need to answer this question is on the Internet (no other sources allowed) and you don't need a security background on this subject. In addition, this subject has been addressed in a previous course in the INFA Curriculum (610)). This is a capstone question to get you thinking as a computer security system designer for information assurance.