Investigating Advances in the Acquisition of Secure Systems Based on Open Architectures.

摘要

In 2007-2008, we began an investigation of problems, issues, and opportunities that arise during the acquisition of software systems that rely on open architectures and open source software. The current effort funded for 2011-2012 seeks to continue and build on the results in this area, while refining its focus to center on the essential constraints and tradeoffs we have identified for software intensive systems with open architecture (OA) and continuously evolving open source software (OSS) elements. The U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy have all committed to an open technology development strategy that encourages the acquisition of software systems whose requirements include the development or composition of an OA for such systems, and the use of OSS systems, components, or development processes when appropriate. Our goal is to further investigate, discover, develop, and document foundations for emerging policy and guidance for acquiring software systems that require OA and that incorporate OSS elements. The research described in this final report for the 2011-2012 project year focuses on continuing investigation and refinement of techniques for reducing the acquisition costs of complex software systems. Over the past few years we have investigated, demonstrated, and refined techniques and tools that articulate interaction between system requirements and software architecture that can increase or decrease the cost of software system acquisition. The report documents and describes the findings and results that we have produced as a result of our research into the area of the acquisition of secure software systems that rely on OA, OSS, and software product lines (SPLs.) In particular, it includes six research papers that have been refereed, reviewed, presented, and published in national and international research conferences, symposia, and workshops.