The open-ended agreement -- announced today by Microsoft's Redmond-based chief security strategist, Scott Charney -- follows more than eight months of negotiations with the federal Defence Signals Directorate, the agency which provides information security products and services to the Australian government and its defence forces.
The agreement falls within Microsoft's global Government Security Program, an initiative announced earlier this year to address government concerns about the transparency and security of the operating system. Under the program, governments are given controlled access to Windows source code and other technical information in a move the vendor says is designed to allow them "to be confident in the enhanced security features of the Windows platform".
Microsoft Australia officials confirmed that the agreement encompassed the areas outlined by the company's worldwide GSP program manager, Salah DanDan, when he announced the program in mid-January.
The agreement will enable Australian government officials to:
The deal is a filip for the software heavyweight, whose business has come under fire at Australian state and federal levels from politicians who have sought to make open-source software the first choice for government departments and agencies.
One advantage that open source software has had over its proprietary counterpart is the fact the technology community can see exactly what is going on within the product.
However, Microsoft Australia officials played down any reference to the threat posed by open source, saying the GSP was forged in response to requests from governments for greater openness and transparency from the vendor.
The officials said the initiative would, in a post-September 11 and post-Bali bombing world, enhance dialogue between the government and Microsoft over the role of the vendor's products in areas of critical infrastructure, such as banking, electricity and telecommunications.
According to a statement from Microsoft, Charney said: "Microsoft recognises that, in the current global environment, matters ranging from national defence to protection of citizens' personal data, are top of mind.
"Governments have a unique and special role and they must place security at the forefront of their information technology requirements.
"The GSP enables stronger partnerships on IT security matters between Microsoft and our government customers and we are pleased that they have chosen to take up the benefits of the GSP".
Charney, who made the announcement at the Australian Defence Symposium today, told ZDNet Australia that the DSD, as the sponsoring agency, would organise access arrangements for other government agencies.
Tim Burmeister, the acting assistant secretary, information security for the DSD, is quoted as saying in the statement: "Information security is of utmost concern for government agencies and the GSP provides a very useful mechanism to have controlled access to Microsoft source code, technical documentation, cryptographic tools and expert support.
"This agreement represents an important step forward in addressing our IT security requirements".
Microsoft has to date signed up 12 members to the GSP, including Russia, NATO, China, Taiwan and the U.K. Up to 35 other countries are evaluating the program worldwide.
Stephen Shankland contributed to this report.
Great !! So what are the Aust govt going to do?
Employee more useless public servents to read the code line by line???
Just image...
"Line number one hunderd and seventy two thousand, seven hundred and sixty three...
security threat... none."
"Line number one hunderd and seventy two thousand, seven hundred and sixty four...
security threat... none."