10.17.09
Lockheed Martin Shoots Own Foot with Microsoft
Summary: Despite its proven inability to write a secure network stack, Microsoft is approached by Lockheed Martin for the job
AS MANY people are probably aware, Microsoft used (‘stole’) BSD code to implement a TCP/IP stack in Windows. Only recently did Microsoft write its own stack, only to leave Windows Vista readily available to remote hijackers (as far back as 2007) and lately to a remote BSoD (Vista 7 is also affected and hijacking is possible as a result).
Despite this abysmal record with TCP/IP, Lockheed Martin has turned to Microsoft for “improved security” in network protocols. “Irony alert” was sent to use by a reader who says that “Microsoft [is] to reinvent TCP/IP.” He cites The Register:
Arms globocorp Lockheed Martin announced today that it has won a $31m contract from the famous Pentagon crazy-ideas bureau, DARPA, to reinvent the internet and make it more suitable for military use. Microsoft will also be involved in the effort.
The main thrust of the effort will be to develop a new Military Network Protocol, which will differ from old hat such as TCP/IP in that it will offer “improved security, dynamic bandwidth allocation, and policy-based prioritization levels at the individual and unit level.”
“I thought IPV6 was supposed to solve these kind of problems,” comments our reader.
“Through this project, as well as our cyber Mission Maker initiatives, we are working to enhance cyber security and ensure that warfighters* can fight on despite cyber attacks.”
“Help,” says our reader, “I’m under a TCP/IP (Microsoft©) irony attack.” If NASA is anything to judge by [1, 2], then Microsoft could also have Lockheed Martin exclude GNU/Linux somehow. Palladium maybe? █
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David Gerard said,
October 17, 2009 at 6:33 am
Back to 1994!
1. Prefix everything with “cyber-”.
2. ???
3. Profit!!
- where “???” is “get military contract.”
Yuhong Bao said,
October 18, 2009 at 2:44 pm
“Despite this abysmal record with TCP/IP”
Reminds me to look up some TCP/IP attacks against Windows from back in 1997. Not all of them affect only Windows though. While WinNuke affected only Windows, teardrop attacks affected Linux too, and land attack affected BSD too.
“lately to a remote BSoD (Vista 7 is also affected and hijacking is possible as a result).”
No, it is not affected by the SMB 2.0 vulnerablity.