Re: MISSI X31 results

[Bill Stout <stoutb () pios com>]

At 04:08 PM 10/6/97 -0600, Alfred Huger wrote:
> > On an upbeat note, from what I have seen so far, I think that they do 
> > an excellent job in producing their reports.  Good content, IMO.  
> >
> > Best Regards,
>
> I have to agree with you. The work I have seen from the X31 group far
> outstrips that of other Firewall testing 'authorities' I have seen. I

I'm glad the NSA posted the reviews.  The only bones I have to pick with the
site ( http://missi.ie.org/ ) is the age of the versions posted.  I'd also
like to see an Altavista report, since I deal with quite a few sites that
have those also.

Hmm...Come to think about it, I'd like to see their evaluation process
posted, so the rest of us can generate/challenge similar reports.

It stands to reason that for Government use, using a foreign-made product
for security purposes has got to make the NSA to pause and reflect, "is this
_really_ such a good idea?".  It goes against all doctrine in their security
briefings.

> In any event, I spoke to someone in the X31 group about the Firewall-1
> review. The response was that they had finished the report and were
> looking at posting it after one of their engineers got back from holidays.
> I believe the date was slated at sometime in the next few weeks.

I was told the report was complete OVER TWO MONTHS AGO, whereas the other
vendor reports were immediately posted.  I'm much happier about the response
you got, much better than what I got: "the results are now classified and we
will not be posting them on any public Web server".  - Or - Me: "I've heard
from .mil source <insert conspiracy theory here>".  X31: "We can't discuss
the issues.  Refer to your existing .mil source for details."  (Um, yea,
that helps...)  :(

BTW - Thanks to all for NOT posting conspiracy theories or wishing that the
fleas of a thousand camels infest my armpits, etc.  ;)

Bill Stout