Multilevel security in tightly coupled military systems: Virtualization as a path to MLS

Security is a major cost driver in military systems and is of particular concern when using commercial network protocols in the military environment. MLS systems may be employed to reduce the amount of application software that must be secured and certified at the highest level, avoiding the expense and complexity associated with maintaining the entire system at the highest level of security. The major problem with MLS systems is that the limited demand for them (primarily military and government agencies) does not compensate for the high costs of development and certification. Virtualization, on the other hand, is rapidly becoming a standard technology capable of supporting security while also providing scalability, flexibility, increased utilization, lower cost, and availability for today’s IT infrastructure.