The following report was given by Dona Mason about the aspects of Security discussed at CALS EXPO 95. Dona attended the Security Tutorial as well as picked up other security information at other sessions.

The message of CALS is "let's share". Everywhere CALS is trying to breakdown bariers and allow people to communication electronically. Security is just the opposite. The Whole idea of security is to keep people out. Normally, the two areas don't touch but people who are implementing CALS have to be aware of security at the same time. Lets see why...

The above are some of the worst threats to CALS. How is that? If I share my data with you across the Internet, what are the chances that someone won't pickup that data and use it for competitive purposes, or corrupt it before you get it? What happens when people perceive a threat? They lock the door. The same is true in sharing data. If my data isn't safe to share electronically, I'll go back to mailing it instead of electronically transmitting it.

These are some of reasons given at Expo for Security in CALS. They are from Mr. Jim Crafts, SRA () presentation.

"CALS Security promotes sharing and enables CALS" indicates that until you have your security nailed down people won't share. When we first started the MLRS International program of sharing data electronically, many people said that it was an impossible task. The most quoted reason was nobody would approve sending a Technical Data Package over a wire. Today, the MLRS International program functions normally and no one raises an eyebrow because we tackled the security problems and got the answers.

When you leave yourself open to security risks, you are allowing evil to flourish. How many people will open a door marked "Employees Only" if they aren't an employee? Not very many but leave the door unmarked and many will try it just to see what is there. The same thinking is true with open network systems. If I can walk right in, you must not care if I look, you probably have your nonsharable data somewhere else. If you have a firewall, I stop.

This is what we want our system to be:

• Company allies systems need to be open each way to share.
• Enemies or Competitor systems need to be closed coming from us but open going to us. Data passes to us but we don't pass any data back.
• Neutral systems need to be open going to us passing us all data with just a little data flowing back.

Security is a never ending project that continues.