Kaspersky launches its own Hack-Proof OS, No Linux now..!

The popular cyber security and antivirus company Kaspersky has unveiled its new hack-proof operating system: Kaspersky OS.

The new operating system has been in development for last 14 years and has chosen to design from scratch rather than relying on Linux.

Kaspersky OS makes its debut on a Kraftway Layer 3 Switch, Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky confirmed the rumors of a new operating system on his official blog published on Monday, saying this project under the codename 11-11 has been in the works for 14 years and has been designed from scratch.

The Layer of 3-switch is the very first tool for running the Kaspersky OS, which is designed for networks with extreme requirements for data security and aimed at critical infrastructure and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Purpose of designing Kaspersky OS :

Russian cyber security and antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab has made available the much awaited KasperskyOS, a secure-by-design operating system based on Microkernel architecture which is specially designed for network devices, industrial control systems and the Internet of Things.

The operating system is not made for your average home PC; instead, it is meant to protect industrial systems and embedded devices from cyber attacks by preventing any third-party or malicious code from executing.

The reason behind developing KasperskyOS is simple: Growing Internet-of-Things and embedded devices in industrial control systems (ICS) to power critical infrastructure.

It's quite easy for most companies to get rid of the virus-infected computer, as they all need to do is unplug the infected ones from the network, according to Kaspersky.

But since industrial control systems (ICS) are usually managing critical operations or infrastructure that must be powered on all the time and can not be taken offline for even a while, the malware targeting these ICS systems is a challenging problem.

So, according to Kaspersky, the solution lies in a secure operating system with strict cyber security requirements that could help reduce the chances of undocumented functionality and thus mitigates the risk of cyber attacks targeting ICS or IoT devices.

What's new in Kaspersky OS than others?

Kaspersky OS is based on Microkernel Architecture: The new secure OS is based on microkernel architecture that enables users to customize their own operating system accordingly. So, depending on a user's specific requirements, Kaspersky OS can be designed by using different modifications blocks of the operating system.

Kaspersky OS is non-Linux: Yes, one of the three major distinctive features of the new OS mentioned by Kaspersky is that the GUI-less operating system has been constructed from scratch and does not contain "even the slightest smell of Linux."

"All the popular operating systems are not designed with security in mind, so it is simpler and safer to start from the ground up and do everything correctly. Which is just what we did," says Kaspersky.

But what makes Kaspersky OS Hack-Proof?

It is the operating system's inbuilt security system. Yes, Kaspersky OS inbuilt security system has the ability to control the behavior of applications and the OS modules.

Kaspersky OS claims itself as practically unhackable OS, because for gaining unauthorized access, any hacker would need to break the digital signature of an account holder, which is possible only with a quantum computer. 

"In order to hack this platform a cyber-baddie would need to break the digital signature, which – anytime before the introduction of quantum computers – would be exorbitantly expensive," says Kaspersky.

Kaspersky talked about the recent DDoS attacks that affected numerous websites in past few months. He guaranteed that Kaspersky OS would protect devices, such as industrial control systems, SCADA or ICS, and IoTs, from cyber attacks.

The most severe one was the recent massive DDoS attack on Dyn's DNS servers, which knock down popular sites like Amazon and Twitter. The attack was carried out by Mirai botnets that had infected smart devices like security cameras. Also the source code of Mirai was leaked on Github for a while.

So, Kaspersky says it is mandatory to protect the IoT and other critical infrastructure (like industry, transport, and telecoms) from IT threats.

"I also hope it's clear that it's better – no matter how difficult – to build IoT/infrastructure devices from the very beginning in such a way that hacking them is practically impossible. Indeed, that is a fundamental goal with Kaspersky OS," he says.

It’s Secure, But KasperskyOS is not Linux!

Yes, this OS is not just another Linux flavor.

The new OS has been designed to allow programs to execute only documented operations under its strict security policy. Only what is defined by the policy can be executed, including the functionality of the OS itself.

The customers can also examine the source code of KasperskyOS to make sure the operating system has no undocumented capabilities. The OS also has independent security engine that lets users enforce the policy that suits their security objectives.

KasperskyOS is not a general-purpose operating system; instead, it is designed for embedded devices, including IoT, telecommunication equipment, connected cars, and industrial control systems.

To create a package that could be applied in several different areas of granular customization, Kaspersky has developed three products:

• An Operating System (KasperskyOS)
• A standalone secure hypervisor (KSH) for running virtual machines
• A system for secure interaction between OS components (KSS)

KasperskyOS was designed to not only solves security issues but also addresses organizational and business challenges related to secure application development for embedded systems.

More detailed technical specifications of the OS can be found on the official KasperskyOS page and the KasperskyOS whitepaper.

 

So, what do you think..! Has Kaspersky overtook the Linux systems? Because till now, the most secure web-servers were running on Linux. Also. though Kaspersky is most secure, will the hosting servers change their OS? Because, its very difficult to change OS when you are maintaining and sharing data online.