CCIA urges the DHS to stop using insecure products

[htuttle]

(from CCIA press release)

Washington, DC - The Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA) sent out the following letter to Secretary Tom Ridge on the Department of Homeland Security's recent decision to choose Microsoft as the preferred supplier of desktop and server software. We believe that the Department should lead by example, and ensure that it uses only the most secure technology, software, and procedures. The Department's decision does not foster confidence that this goal is being realized. Design flaws in Microsoft's products have recently been responsible for temporary closure of Maryland’s Department of Motor Vehicles offices, failure of the passenger check-in system at Air Canada, an intrusion on the Navy-Marine intranet, and cancellations and suspensions of service on the CSX railroad. Additionally, a Microsoft exploit managed to disable a safety monitoring system at an off-line nuclear power plant.

These vulnerabilities and exploits are not new, and unfortunately were predictable. CCIA believes it is critical to maintain secure systems to protect homeland security, and so CCIA has asked the Department to reconsider its decision to promote Microsoft as the default software for DHS. Reliance on a company that distributes products known to have such serious vulnerabilities will not provide adequate security and stability to protect of our nation's most important computer systems.

(press release on CCIA site)
http://www.ccianet.org/index.php3

(full text of letter to DHS)
http://www.ccianet.org/letters/dhs_030827.pdf

[never cry wolf]

1. Interesting

any word from them on using microsoft products in the voting machines??

[OldSoldier]

2. Yeah. They're Windows machines.

'Nuff said.

[madrchsod]

3. i`m not sure if the il. state

police uses microsoft but...all of the state police computers were corrupted last week. about 3500 comp. had to be debugged. that`s security for ya!!!