What operating system is safe for the military?

In the first half of this year, a document from the Central Government Procurement Center attracted attention from all parties. In the "Notice on Supplementary Bidding for Mandatory Energy-Saving Products under Information Agreement Supply" which only involved the procurement of more than 30 computers, the government clearly stated for the first time: "All computer products are not allowed to be installed with the Windows 8 operating system."

Although the document did not explain the relevant provisions, media analysis believes that information security considerations are the main reason for the ban. The release of this notice has also sparked discussions on the Internet. Topics such as how much impact computer operating systems will have on information security and whether to support domestic operating systems or continue to use foreign brands have become the focus of netizens' attention.

In fact, relevant debates have always existed in the military.

The military network is physically isolated from the local network, and firewalls are installed at all levels of gateways. Combined with other strict security measures, theoretically, the operating system security risks are not great. However, given the sensitivity of military information security, the security issues of computer operating systems used for military purposes in my country cannot be ignored.

All software programs on a computer run based on the operating system. After connecting to the Internet, whoever can control the operating system can basically control all the information on the computer. Seeing the importance of the operating system to the information security of computer users, many national organizations, departments, and enterprises, including the military, have developed several domestic operating systems. However, the Windows series of operating systems still have a high penetration rate on military office computers.

The reason is that, on the one hand, there is still a gap between domestic operating systems and products from companies such as Microsoft in terms of security, efficiency, and stability. On the other hand, factors such as a lack of understanding of user habits and an unfriendly user interface are also important defects of domestic operating systems. In addition, the suspicion of plagiarism in some "independently developed" domestic operating systems has seriously affected user confidence.

The Chinese military and local government offices have long used Microsoft Windows operating systems, a phenomenon that has not gone unnoticed by the national information security department. In fact, before each new Microsoft operating system is released, the government will organize relevant experts to conduct comprehensive security testing and risk assessments.

Since 2003, Microsoft has also released the source code of Windows 2000, Windows XP and other software to more than 60 major countries around the world, including China, through the "Government Security Program", allowing government officials of relevant countries to conduct security reviews of Microsoft products. These measures can ensure that the security risks of using related operating systems are within controllable range.

However, starting from April 8 this year, Microsoft officially stopped providing support services for the Windows XP operating system, which means that the operating system will no longer receive system patches and security updates from Microsoft, and the security issues faced by military office computers will become more severe.

The source code of Microsoft Vista and Win7 systems is no longer open to government review, and they are forced to use foreign cryptographic algorithms and no longer support Chinese algorithms. Win8 system has been upgraded to a cloud operating system, and the underlying software of the system is more dependent on cloud servers. All application information including emails, documents and contacts will be synchronized to Microsoft's servers in the United States.

Since foreign operating systems are unreliable, domestic operating systems have become an inevitable choice. In fact, the Prism incident has sounded the alarm for various countries. Many countries, including the United States' European allies, have strengthened their own information security precautions. Russia, Germany and other countries have begun to require the use of their own operating systems in government computers.

No matter how perfect any operating system or software is, it is not irreplaceable. Alibaba completed the "de-IOE" campaign last year. Some experts pointed out that this move can not only reduce operating costs and increase corporate profits, but also has important significance for corporate information network security. The success of the seemingly impossible "de-IOE" campaign also shows that there is no software or equipment on the market that is indispensable.

One of the core requirements of military computer operating systems is security. The use of domestic operating systems is undoubtedly reliable in terms of military user information security. However, this security requirement should not be at the expense of reducing the combat effectiveness of the military. Domestic operating systems need to have higher quality assurance in basic functional requirements such as process management, program control, and human-computer interaction.

It is an indisputable fact that domestic operating systems are not easy to use. However, with the withdrawal of Windows XP from the market, users' usage habits will be forced to adjust to the new operating system. The military's centralized and unified management model and working methods also make it easier for the domestic operating system to continuously improve and cultivate an important user group, thereby generating a radiating effect on society.

The discontinuation of Windows XP has made it a pressing issue for the military to decide which operating system to use on their computers, and the "Win8 ban" has also provided an important window for the use of domestic operating systems. The military may wish to use a fair approach and choose a domestic operating system that is technically more stable and trustworthy to use first, which will be a mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation.

The operating system used by the military may seem to be the military's own business, but it is actually related to the country's overall scientific research level and innovation strength. The government should actively encourage and support the development and use of domestic operating systems, and relevant scientific research units and enterprises must also be pragmatic, honest, and down-to-earth in making good products to attract users. This is the real way.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.