China next to get access to Microsoft source code

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: William Knowles <wk () c4i org>

http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,78935,00.html

[Anyone that thinks this is a "Good Idea" should read "Sources and 
Techniques of Obtaining National Defense Science and Technology 
Intelligence" by Huo Zhongwen and Wang Zongxiao at the FAS website 
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/china/docs/sources.html  - WK]


By Joris Evers
IDG News Service
FEBRUARY 28, 2003

China has signed up to participate in Microsoft Corp.'s new Government
Security Program (GSP), giving the Chinese government access to the
source code of Windows operating system software, Microsoft said in a
statement today.

The agreement was signed by Microsoft and the China Information
Technology Security Certification Center. Chinese President Jiang
Zemin was briefed on the GSP today by Microsoft Chairman and Chief
Software Architect Bill Gates, who is visiting China, Microsoft said.

The company announced its GSP initiative last month in a bid to allay
concerns about the security of its software. The GSP is open to
governments and international organizations. GSP participants receive
access to the source code and technical information of several
versions of Windows software needed to conduct security reviews of the
products, the software maker said.

Russia, the U.K. and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have
already signed up to participate in the GSP, and Microsoft is in talks
with more than 30 countries, territories and organizations about the
program.

Governments signing up for the security program will be able to build
systems that offer the high levels of security required for national
security, Microsoft has said. However, government users won't be
allowed to make modifications to the code or compile the source code
into Windows programs themselves, according to Microsoft.

The GSP is also seen as a move in Microsoft's battle against
open-source software, primarily the Linux operating system, edging
into government administration all around the globe. An open-source
license allows users to access and modify the source code. Government
users in Finland, Germany, France, Taiwan and the Philippines, among
other countries, have already adopted open-source software or are
looking into doing so.

Participation in the GSP is free. The program covers current versions,
service packs and beta releases of Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows
Server 2003 and Windows CE. In addition, government IT professionals
can visit Microsoft headquarters to review Windows development and
meet with Microsoft staff. Online access to the source code is secured
by smart cards.

Microsoft sees the GSP as an important part of its Trustworthy
Computing initiative, an effort announced by Gates last year to
improve the security of its software.

Microsoft shares Windows code with governments, companies and
educational institutions under various programs that are part of its
Shared Source Initiative announced in 2001. The GSP is different in
that Microsoft sees it as a partnership with a country or
international organization and that it does not require a country or
organization to be a Microsoft customer in order to participate.


 
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