Linux is already considered to be among the most secure operating systems. But when it comes to security, there is rarely such a thing as too much. DevX reports on the latest efforts by Intel’s Wind River embedded operating systems division to enhance the security of its Linux embedded offering. Whether there is sufficient demand for the new offering is the subject of some debate however. While this particular announcement is tied to Linux, Wind River also offers its own proprietary embedded operating system called VxWorks. There are different use cases for Linux and VxWorks and, as the article explains, different security certifications.
When it comes to validating operating system security, one of the toughest certifications is the Common Criteria EAL 4+. Intel’s Wind River embedded operating systems division is now ramping up an effort to get EAL 4+ certified on its secure Linux embedded offering, providing a new secure embedded Linux operating system.
The Wind River Secure Linux effort isn’t just about Linux on Intel either. The goal is to have a certified Linux for multiple chip vendors including Freescale and Texas Instruments. The new effort could provide new market opportunities for Linux in highly-secure environments.
