Designing a Secure Operating System

Operating System Security: Designing a Secure Operating System

• An operating system (OS) is an interface between a computer user and hardware.
• The OS coordinates functions such as control of memory, CPU access, and storage through the kernel, which interfaces with the BIOS and device drivers.
• Application software, such as Microsoft Office, Firefox, and Skype, communicate with the OS through the Application Programming Interface (API).
• The OS is responsible for processor management, resource management, and security, while the kernel is responsible for process management, task management, memory management, and disk management.
• To build a successful operating system, three major functions must be implemented: resource mechanisms, scheduling (process management), and security.
• A secure operating system provides security mechanisms that ensure the system's security goals are enforced despite the threats faced by the system.
• Security becomes an issue due to the interaction of processes in modern computer systems and the sharing of data among users.
• A threat model defines a set of operations that an attacker may use to compromise a system, and a secure operating system cannot trust processes outside of the Trusted Computing Base (TCB).
• Security goals describe how the system implements access to system resources that satisfy confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA).
• The TCB is the software and data upon which the system depends for system security, and it must mediate all security-sensitive operations, be correct, and be protected.
• Identifying and verifying the correctness of the TCB software is a complex task.
• To ensure a secure operating system, it needs to enforce security goals, provide a clearly identified TCB, define a threat model, and ensure protection of the TCB under that model.

Test your knowledge on operating system security with this quiz on designing a secure operating system. Learn about the functions of an operating system and how to implement resource mechanisms, scheduling, and security to ensure confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Discover the importance of the Trusted Computing Base (TCB) and how to protect it from threats. Challenge yourself to identify and verify the correctness of the TCB software in a complex system. Take this quiz to enhance your understanding of operating system security and become an expert on designing