4 ms·

The KeyKOS Nanokernel Architecture (1992)

77 points by the_why_of_y 11y ago

vezzy-fnord 11y ago
Cached version if you're having trouble: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MXidqSW64G0J:www.cis.upenn.edu/~KeyKOS/NanoKernel/NanoKernel.html https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MXidqS...
- 885895 11y ago
  Proper archive version: https://archive.is/nlKS https://archive.is/nlKS
drallison 11y ago
This is an important paper and should be read by anyone contemplating the design of secure operating systems.
- nickpsecurity 11y ago
  I agree. It's still more secure by design than any server OS in production today.
agumonkey 11y ago
Predecessor of CoyoteOS and its famous BitC language https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyotos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyotos
- ansible 11y ago
  Famous? I was on all the mailing lists... there weren't many participants. The way ahead, at least in the short term, seems to be containerized apps on top of Linux, as with Sandstorm: https://sandstorm.io/ https://sandstorm.io/ I don't know if we'll ever get back to the original vision of very fine-grained apps, with object-cap security baked into the language itself. It would be nice... that would provide another level of security beyond what any OS can provide.
  - agumonkey 11y ago
    Ha, well I wan't on the ML, and ok not mainstream famous but https://www.google.com/search?q=ltu+bitc https://www.google.com/search?q=ltu+bitc yields a lot of discussion about it.
nnn 11y ago
Here are some parts of the KeyKOS source code: http://css.csail.mit.edu/6.858/2011/readings/keykos/ http://css.csail.mit.edu/6.858/2011/readings/keykos/
nickpsecurity 11y ago
Excellent system that exemplified effective use of the capability model. Anyone aiming to learn or develop secure OS's should read on this plus look up the successor for x86, EROS by Shapiro. EROS had a secure kernel, persistance, robust network stack, and more secure GUI. Worth building on. Note: Look up Coyotos kernel as they mention a few EROS attributes you might improve or change.
NormH 11y ago
I wrote many of the Keykos papers and can answer most questions you might have. For instance, can sandstorm do confinement as described at http://cap-lore.com/CapTheory/Confine/ http://cap-lore.com/CapTheory/Confine/ ?

77 points by the_why_of_y 11y ago

Cached version if you're having trouble: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MXidqSW64G0J:www.cis.upenn.edu/~KeyKOS/NanoKernel/NanoKernel.html https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:MXidqS...

885895 11y ago
Proper archive version: https://archive.is/nlKS https://archive.is/nlKS

drallison 11y ago

This is an important paper and should be read by anyone contemplating the design of secure operating systems.

nickpsecurity 11y ago
I agree. It's still more secure by design than any server OS in production today.

agumonkey 11y ago

Predecessor of CoyoteOS and its famous BitC language https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyotos https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coyotos

ansible 11y ago
Famous? I was on all the mailing lists... there weren't many participants. The way ahead, at least in the short term, seems to be containerized apps on top of Linux, as with Sandstorm: https://sandstorm.io/ https://sandstorm.io/ I don't know if we'll ever get back to the original vision of very fine-grained apps, with object-cap security baked into the language itself. It would be nice... that would provide another level of security beyond what any OS can provide.
- agumonkey 11y ago
  Ha, well I wan't on the ML, and ok not mainstream famous but https://www.google.com/search?q=ltu+bitc https://www.google.com/search?q=ltu+bitc yields a lot of discussion about it.

nnn 11y ago

Here are some parts of the KeyKOS source code: http://css.csail.mit.edu/6.858/2011/readings/keykos/ http://css.csail.mit.edu/6.858/2011/readings/keykos/

nickpsecurity 11y ago

Excellent system that exemplified effective use of the capability model. Anyone aiming to learn or develop secure OS's should read on this plus look up the successor for x86, EROS by Shapiro. EROS had a secure kernel, persistance, robust network stack, and more secure GUI. Worth building on. Note: Look up Coyotos kernel as they mention a few EROS attributes you might improve or change.

NormH 11y ago

I wrote many of the Keykos papers and can answer most questions you might have. For instance, can sandstorm do confinement as described at http://cap-lore.com/CapTheory/Confine/ http://cap-lore.com/CapTheory/Confine/ ?