IP Communications

Integrity Global Security recently announced the certification of its Integrity-178B operating system to Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL) 6+, High Robustness, by the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP). With this certification, the Integrity-178B operating system is the only one of its kind to be certified in accordance with the international Common Criteria security standard.

Integrity Global Security provides government, military and commercial enterprises with high levels of certified security solutions for their Information Technology (IT). While it is headquartered in Santa Barbara, CA (News - Alert); its European headquarter is in the United Kingdom.

"This certification is the first time NIAP has certified that an operating system is capable of defeating intentional, hostile attacks -- the types of threats we now face from sophisticated criminals, corporate espionage spies, international terrorists, and foreign defense and intelligence agencies," said David Chandler, chief executive officer of Integrity Global Security.

The certification has been secured by Integrity after its operating system was rigorously evaluated on numerous grounds by the NIAP. While the Integrity-178B is designed to attain high levels of security like EAL7, NIAP carried out tests for verifying the formal methods that give proof of security in a mathematical manner. Additionally, experts and professionals at the NSA who were given full access to its operating system source code also carried out penetration tests on the operating system.

"Corporations and government entities either have a false sense of security or know that their computers and networks can be compromised. Most see no escape from the fail-first, patch-later status quo. Some even take the drastic measure of unplugging their computers from the Internet. Now, information security officers will be relieved to know that military grade security is, for the first time, available to the enterprise," Chandler added.

The EAL of an operating system is indicative of the level of confidence that can be assured in the security a system claims to offer. While the EAL6+ High Robustness certification refers to the "security services and mechanisms that provide the most stringent protection and rigorous security countermeasures," the certification is a compulsory requirement for an operating system to be eligible to protect high value resources as well as classified information from any potential attack by hostile or well-funded sophisticated attackers.