System checks at the factory...
Microsoft Windows? I wouldn't use that in any safety critical environment.
Chinese UAV/UCAV development
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Microsoft Windows? I wouldn't use that in any safety critical environment.
by78
General
China has had access to Windows' source code for almost 20 years. I'm sure it's been thoroughly audited before being put to use. Fundamentally, for limited applications such as this, Windows can be very reliable because it's not loaded down with general purpose software. The Swedes use windows on their Visby class. Granted, it's not the most ideal, but it's more than sufficient, for now. A Chinese high-security OS is coming very soon (a linux distro) in a matter of months. The military will have to adopt it for internal use, but export customers might continue to get Windows.
broadsword
Brigadier
Would it be safe if stripped of its internet connectivity but retaining its intranet one?
It is still dangerous. Read the essay "Reflections on Trusting Trust". Let's say the Chinese have the Windows source code and that they compile it themselves. But do they also have the source code for the compiler they use to compile Windows and do they know if the compiler they used to compile that compiler wasn't tainted? It could be the compiler is adding backdoors even if the code itself seems to be clean.
windows is complied by C++, VC despite is Microsoft owned, but C++ compiler is open-sourced...
by78
General
Like I said, it's not ideal. As far as I know, these mission critical systems aren't connected to the world wide web, which helps... a lot. Anyway, the secure OS is coming. All government agencies, branches, and non-private sector entities are to ditch Windows within two years. It's a done deal.
*Heavily* modified windows. + All these systems are "off-grid".
Not to mention homegrown processors, so no back doors even on the processor level.
Can anyone identify the base? I suspect it's somewhere in the south.
37°01'51.2"N 79°52'52.3"E
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