NCJ Number
89632
Date Published
1974
Length
116 pages
Annotation
A series of three papers on data security deal with the IBM Federal Systems Center's experiences with the Resource Security System (RSS), designed to protect computer data, and the RSS experiences at the study sites of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and TRW Systems.
Abstract
The installation effort and experience of the IBM Federal Systems Center with the RSS provided identification of several problems relating to the ease of use of RSS and recommended alternate system approaches. The report recommends the creation of a security profile which controls accesses between the user community and the data base as part of a nondisruptive transition process. Transition aids and utilities to help this process are proposed, along with a form of security bypass to allow program operation to continue in spite of errors in the profile. Operator assistance in mounting and selecting volumes, label processing, and disposition of scratch files are also suggested. A list of 17 recommended security requirements is included. In the description of the testing and installation of the RSS by MIT, emphasis is on categorizing the problems encountered, describing test procedures and level of effort, and summarizing cost and performance differences. Observations applicable to the general installation of security systems are also included. The results of 11 months and over 8,000 production hours of TRW experience with the RSS are reported. The system was implemented in the business and industrial facility and the secured governmental facility of TRW. The report includes the implementation experience, the security features used, vulnerabilities uncovered, a comparison with other system goals, and an evaluation of the security requirements. For related volumes, see NCJ 89626-31 and 89655-60.