Open-source software bug hunt results released

A Homeland Security Department-funded study of bugs in open-source software found less than one-half of one bug per thousand lines of code on average, and even fewer defects in the most widely used code.

Industry forms support group for OpenDocument Format

Several vendors have formed the OpenDocument Format Alliance, which promises to provide resources for federal advocates of the open specification.

Novell's AppArmor challenges SELinux

Novell Inc. has released the source code for its open-source Linux security application AppArmor in hopes of attracting outside developers to refine the program, but observers fear it will fracture the open-source development community around the demanding science of mandatory access control.

NIST experts craft data removal handbook

If you follow instructions from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, you can rest assured that sensitive data you delete from obsolete computer hard drives and optical disks will not be recovered.

OpenSSL gets NIST certifications

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has certified OpenSSL, an open-source library of encryption algorithms, as meeting Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 Level 1 standards, according to the Open Source Software Institute.

DHS procures testing service for open-source apps

Open-source project leaders could use these results to fix software defects, while agency and critical infrastructure IT shops could monitor them to evaluate or take corrective action on applications.

IBM aces Unix, content management studies

Beating out Unix stalwarts Hewlett-Packard Co. and Sun Microsystems Inc., IBM Corp. has topped a customer satisfaction poll of data center Unix administrators.

Massachusetts about-faces on Microsoft Office Open format

The commonwealth may use Microsoft Office after all, thanks to the company's pledge to put its format in the hands of an international standards body.

Microsoft eyes supercomputing market through software

Windows Cluster Server is based on the Windows Server 2003 server software, but has additional features that allow computers to be yoked together to work in parallel on computationally intensive tasks.

Telecom infrastructure was no match for Katrina

Executives from Verizon Wireless and BellSouth offered insights to the FCC on the challenges of maintaining networks during Hurricane Katrina.

Mass. lawmakers mull IT review board

State Senate lawmakers have developed legislation that calls for an IT oversight committee to evaluate all proposed implementations of standards.

Defense releases draft of 5015 Version 3

The Defense Department has posted a working draft of Version 3 of its standard for records management software, the 5015.2-STD RMA Design Criteria Standard.

NIEM releases first draft of info-sharing specs

The National Information Exchange Model is an Extensible Markup Language-based schemata that could be used by agencies to share information.

CSIA: Telework could serve as federal continuity measure

A network security policy group advocates telework as a strategy for continuity of operations in government in the aftermath of a terrorist attack.

Oracle Fusion platform coming into focus

Government program managers are finally starting to get a glimpse of the next-generation enterprise resource planning platform from Oracle Corp.

Administration calls for alignment in R&D spending

The White House and OMB want agencies to coordinate R&D efforts, both to cut down on duplicative and low-payoff projects and to get in step with the goals set by the interagency National Science and Technology Council.

IBM, Sun offer utility computing services to government

IBM and Sun Microsystems are marketing on-demand computing services to agencies with a backlog of high-performance computing tasks, such as the departments of Energy and Defense.

Microsoft to acquire Groove Networks

Microsoft Corp. announced plans to acquire collaboration software vendor Groove Networks Inc. of Beverly, Mass.

NSA seeks better analysis technologies

The National Security Agency is looking for analysis software to help it sort through the immense amount of data it collects, because commercial intelligence software just isn't powerful enough to do the job.

Report: Smart-card growth continues

Federal government's use of smart cards appears to be growing, despite a number of discontinued pilot programs, according to a new GAO report.