Cloud X OS Cleared for Government Use
Cloud X OS has received certification from Russia’s Federal Service for Technical and Export Control (FSTEC). That means the operating system can be used in government information systems and at significant critical information infrastructure facilities.
The certification confirms that the Russian-developed OS meets current information security requirements. Cloud X OS was evaluated as a Type A general-purpose operating system and meets Protection Class 4 and Trust Level 4 requirements.
For the software, certification means Cloud X OS can be securely deployed by government organizations and companies across industries including manufacturing, energy and finance – anywhere information with varying levels of sensitivity is processed and compliance with legal requirements is essential.
Built for Environments Where Security Comes First
The developer says Cloud X OS was originally created as an operating system to keep the high-load infrastructure of the Cloud X cloud and its cloud platform components running reliably. It can serve as an environment for Russian databases, firewalls and other infrastructure software. The OS supports virtualization and OpenStack integration and uses Cloud X’s controlled package repository.
The operating system’s primary customers are organizations where information security is not simply an internal requirement but a legal obligation. These include energy, transportation and industrial companies, where disruptions to information and control systems can lead to serious economic, social or technological consequences.
IT professionals say Cloud X OS is well suited to building secure cloud segments for government information systems and critical information infrastructure facilities, as well as deploying private clouds.
Security Mechanisms Put to the Test
Cloud X OS had previously been added to Russia’s Unified Register of Russian Software. Its FSTEC certification expands the ways the cloud platform can be used by companies and organizations required to demonstrate compliance with security requirements through an independent assessment. The certification was conducted by the Center for Information Security, or CBI, which is accredited by FSTEC as both a certification body and a testing laboratory. It is considered one of the most experienced organizations in Russia’s information security product conformity assessment market and also works within the certification systems of Russia’s Federal Security Service and Ministry of Defense.
Experts conducted a comprehensive independent assessment of Cloud X OS’s security mechanisms and lifecycle, and the Russian-developed software can now be deployed in government information systems up to and including Protection Class 1.
A Boost for Competition
According to representatives of the developer, certification confirms the software product’s characteristics and clears it for deployment across a wide range of projects. The experts specifically evaluated the operating system – the foundational layer of the cloud, responsible for managing user accounts, access rights, memory, network functions and interactions between application software and computing resources. Cloud X OS includes built-in mechanisms for access control, security event logging, and monitoring user and process activity.
Certification moves Cloud X OS from an internal technological foundation for the cloud to a commercial product that can be deployed in regulated information systems. At the national level, it will broaden the selection of Russian server operating systems and increase competition in the secure infrastructure software market.
This IT product could also have export potential, but successful expansion into other countries would require local certification, integration partners, local technical support and adaptation to national requirements.
