Microsoft acknowledges security talks with Defence Signals Dept - News - Security

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This story was printed from ZDNet Australia.
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Microsoft acknowledges security talks with Defence Signals Dept

By James Pearce, ZDNet Australia
January 17, 2003
URL: http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/security/soa/Microsoft-acknowledges-security-talks-with-Defence-Signals-Dept/0,130061744,120271342,00.htm

Microsoft has acknowledged preliminary talks over its newly-launched global Government Security Program (GSP) with the agency charged with assessing the security of software products for Australian federal government usage.

The software heavyweight acknowledged the commencement of talks in an e-mail today after initially declining to comment on whether the GSP, designed to reassure administrations worldwide of the security of its products, would be extended to Australia.

"Microsoft has had initial discussions with Defence Signals Directorate regarding the program," Microsoft Australia said in a statement released to ZDNet Australia . "Microsoft talks to a range of government departments on a regular basis, and the GSP announcement is relevant to many of them."

Around 60 governments worldwide are eligible for the program, according to Microsoft, which has so far signed deals, or expects to shortly sign deals, with 10 countries and organisations.

Under the program, designed to combat the perception that open source software is more secure than Microsoft products, governments will be able to view the source code to Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003 and CE, and scrutinise Microsoft security documentation the company normally keeps in-house.

However, there are presently no Microsoft products on the DSD's Evaluated Product List, which lists the products which have been evaluated as appropriate for use within Australian government agencies.

The DSD's recommendations, while influential in government product selection, are not obligatory in procurement. Microsoft products are presently ubiquitous throughout the federal government.