Security for Infinite Networks

Today's data communication networks are already unbounded, decentralized, heterogeneous, and constantly changing. However, the current paradigm for network security still descibes a bounded network governed by an overall network security policy. Information System Security proposes a multifaceted strategy to address security issues in unbounded "infinite networks." Concepts of mutual suspicion, multiple policies, and local resource control will allow analysis, secure design, and evaluation of heterogeneous individual components, subsystems and connections without requiring knowledge and control of the unbounded system. The new paradigm will support two major national proposals for multimedia communications, DoD's Global Grid and President Clinton's National Information Infrastructure (NII). It will apply to both new and existing networks and to their inter- connections.