COMPUTER VIRUS PREVENTION FOR EMBEDDED COMPUTER WEAPON SYSTEMS

MODERN WEAPON SYSTEMS MAKE EXTENSIVE USE OF EMBEDDED COMPUTER SYSTEMS FOR SUCH CRITICAL FUNCTIONS AS WEAPON AIMING, WEAPON SENSOR PROCESSING AND GUIDANCE, SAFE AND ARMING, AND REAL-TIME CONTROL. THE EXECUTIVION OF THESE FUNCTIONS IS DEPENDENT UPON THE CORRECT OPERATION OF THE SOFTWARE THAT RUNS ON THE EMBEDDED COMPUTERS. RECENTLY, CONCERN HAS BEEN RAISED OVER THE POTENTIAL FOR SABOTAGE OF WEAPONS BY THE INSERTION OF MALICIOUS CODE, EITHER DIRECTLY INTO THE WEAPON APPLICATION CODE OR INDIRECTLY VIA THE APPLICATION SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT. VIRUSES PROVIDE AN INDIRECT PATH WHICH THE SABOTEUR MAY EXPLOIT TO INTRODUCE MALICOUS CODE INTO CRIFICAL SOFTWARE SYSTEMS. THIS STUDY WILL EXAMINE THE VULNERABILITY OF WEAPON SYSTEM SOFTWARE TO VIRUSES AND IDENTIFY APPROACHES FOR MINIMIZING THE THREAT. THE PROPOSED APPROACH IS TO IDENTIFY INDIRECT PATHS FOR INTRODUCING MALICIOUS CODE INTO WEAPON SYSTEM SOFTWARE, AND TO IDENTIFY HOW A VIRUS CAN BE CONSTRUCTED TO EXPLOIT EACH PATH. OUR APPROACH MAKES USE OF PRIOR WORK IN DEVELOPING TAXONOMIES OF COMPUTER VIRUSES AND THEIR COUNTERMEASURES, AND EXTEND THIS TO THE REALM OF EMBEDDED WEAPON CONTROL COMPUTERS.