COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF SOFTWARE ASSESSMENT TOOL

COMMERCIAL-OFF-THE-SHELF (COTS) SOFTWARE PLAYS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE TIMELY AND EFFICIENT FIELDING OF OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS. HOWEVER, THERE EXISTS ONE MAJOR DRAWBACK WITH THE UTILIZATION OF COTS SOFTWARE. THIS DRAWBACK IS THE LACK OF A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING AND EVALUATION OF EXACTLY HOW THE COTS SOFTWARE OPERATES. THIS PROBLEM EXISTS DUE TO THE FACT THAT MOST COTS SOFTWARE IS PROPRIETARY, THEREFORE SOURCE CODE IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR EVALUATION. AS A RESULT, THE POTENTIAL USER OF THE COTS SOFTWARE IS LEFT AT THE MERCY OF THE COTS SOFTWARE DEVELOPER. THE COTS PRODUCT MAY CONTAIN CODING ERRORS OR EVEN MORE CRITICAL, IT MAY CONTAIN MALICIOUS CODE. THIS EFFORT PROPOSES A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IN THE FORM OF AN INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE TOOL THAT ASSESSES THE THREAT TO THE OPERATIONAL SYSTEM PRESENTED BY THE COTS PRODUCT. IN PROVIDING THIS ASSESSMENT A KEY COMPONENT THAT IS ANALYZED IS THE OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS REQUIRED BY THE COTS PRODUCT FOR ITS NORMAL OPERATION. THIS SERVES TO IDENTIFY WHAT CAPABILITIES THAT THE COTS PRODUCT COULD HAVE ACCESS TO IN THE OPERATIONAL SYSTEM GIVEN AN ERRANT CONDITION OR MALICIOUS CODE EXISTED WITHIN THE COTS PRODUCT.A FURTHER GOAL OF THIS EFFORT IS TO DEFINE THE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS FOR A COTS CONTAINMENT SHELL BASED ON THE OUTCOME OF THE ASSESSMENT TOOL EFFORT AND DETERMINE THE VIABILITY OF SUCH A PRODUCT.