Kaspersky OS – Do we really need it?

Four months back we shared news of how Google is working on an open source project to say Goodbye to Linux for new OS Fuchsia to run low-power and fully featured devices for the internet. Yet it is not clear how Google plans to place Fuchsia with respect to Android and Chrome OS. While in the race, CEO of Kaspersky Lab confirms the rumors about developing its own Operating system (OS) in 2012 by quoting in the post.

Naturally! We’re developing a secure operating system for protecting key information systems (industrial control systems (ICS)) used in industry/infrastructure. It is critically important for future of mass cyber-attacks on things like nuclear power stations, energy supply and transportation control facilities, financial and telecommunications systems, and all the other installations.

And recently CEO of Kaspersky Lab posted Finally, Our Own OS – Oh Yes!, Unveiling a protected Layer 3 switch powered by Kaspersky OS designed for Internet of Things (IoT) with extreme requirements for data security.

The meeting regarding the project was held 14 years ago on 11^th November, 2002 and within the company the project is known as 11.11.

Key Features of Kaspersky OS

1. Kaspersky OS is based on microkernel architecture that use primitives or system calls to implement minimum OS services such as multitasking, memory management and inter process communication. Significantly supported the POSIX standard (Portable Operating System Interface.
2. Kaspersky OS has its built-in security system, which controls the behavior of applications and the OS’s modules.
3. Kaspersky OS is built from scratch and does not use any pre-existing code, including the Linux kernel and other open systems.

So far we have seen many updates with windows OS and Linux but none of these OS are resilient enough to sustain threats and keeps exploited, seems things will carry on like this for ages! This is because of their architectural flaws that is why Kaspersky Lab came up with a solution and had the major focus to build an operating system from scratch in such a way that hacking them is nearly impossible and to secure them from cyber-attacks such as DDos attacks.

For now Kaspersky will be only available for industrial control system but let’s see what future holds for us.

Kaspersky Lab already holds an interactive cyberthreat real-time map which gets a closer look at threat around the world. The map is real-time based on Kaspersky virus detections.

Source: Kaspersky Cybermap

Verdict

Due to increasing threats I believe it is much needed to have an operating system like Kaspersky OS that is built keeping in mind its security especially for online systems like our hosting servers.

If Kaspersky intend to launch their OS to the general public it will have lots of new compatibility issues because they will not allow windows based executables to run because that will bring all the security features at risk neither people nor software authors be ready to quickly adopt to a new OS. Maybe this slow launch is its technique to beat Windows / Linux / MAC etc.

What do you think about Kaspersky Lab’s new Operating system, comment below.

FYI: The Admin (Drhack) is also ambitious in building his own Operating System ;).