TOMOYO^® Linux Developed by NTT DATA Officially Adopted for Linux Standard Kernel- Contributes to enhanced Linux security, and can be utilized for a variety of applications from mobile telephones to servers -

TOMOYO^® Linux, a Linux security enhancement which NTT DATA Corporation has been developing since 2003, was officially adopted on June 10, 2009 for version 2.6.30 of the standard kernel, which is the foundation for all Linux distribution.

Linux is open source software (OSS) that is distributed free of charge. It is an operating system that can be used without restriction throughout the world, and it is gaining increased acceptance globally, among others, for mobile telephones, electrical appliances, and other digital equipment.

Because of its acceptance into the Linux standard kernel, TOMOYO Linux will be distributed globally as an official Linux security enhancement.

NTT DATA has striven to foster the spread and development of numerous OSS programs. In the field of security, which in modern society is growing daily in importance, TOMOYO Linux is a crucial and valuable fruit of NTT DATA's research and development. It has been integrated with NTT DATA's efforts in the field of OSS, and has gained international recognition.

Going forward, TOMOYO Linux will play a role in the achievement of a safe and secure society utilizing Linux. NTT DATA will maintain and strengthen its cooperation with Linux developers across the globe to encourage the addition and utilization of TOMOYO Linux capabilities.

About Linux

• Linux is an operating system kernel developed by Linus Torvalds on his own in 1991, who at the time was a student at the University of Helsinki in Finland. As it was published as GNU GPL-based open source, volunteer developers across the globe have made repeated improvements, and it is now used worldwide.
• Linux applications are diverse, encompassing not only personal computers and servers, but also embedded devices such as mobile telephones, game computers, and digital cameras, as well as digital televisions and other home appliances, automobiles, aircraft, and factory production lines.
• Now that the age of IPv6 is near, security is becoming essential to allow industrial equipment that does not readily accommodate software updates, and equipment containing personal information posing privacy concerns, to be used without worry.
• Against that backdrop, NTT DATA has engaged in research and development to achieve secure utilization of equipment employing open source software. It has given the results of its effort back to Linux and the Linux community.

Significance of the Adoption into Linux Standard Kernel

• Linux development is conducted through the contributions of volunteers throughout the world, known collectively as the Linux community. Debates over specifications, program upgrades and extensions are conducted daily, based on a developers mailing list subscribed to by over 5,000 persons.
• Programs for the standard kernel referred to as the Linux mainline are subjected to examination for possible adoption by Linus Torvalds himself and administrators of each function, called Maintainers. The examination is conducted through discussions via the mailing list and in developer meetings. There are no established procedures, formats, or documented standards.
• Functions that are not accepted for the standard kernel die out or are not maintained if the developing entity ceases to exist, and that is a risk borne by the users. Incorporation into the mainline, however, makes it possible for a large number of Linux developers to participate in upgrading and extension, thereby heightening the likelihood that it will be employed commercially by corporations and other entities.
• Since June 2007, NTT DATA has submitted 15 proposals and has continuously appealed to the kernel developers at international conferences in terms of the features and necessity of TOMOYO Linux. As a result, it became the third standard Linux security function in the world to be adopted, and the first in Japan.

Features of TOMOYO Linux

• TOMOYO Linux was developed so that any Linux administrator with standard skills can readily make use of it.
• An automatic learning capability, through the manipulation of the requisite functions, generates a file with the appropriate settings (policy). That allows system administrators to quickly obtain files with settings that are suited to their own systems.
• The content and error messages of the settings files are in a format that is easy for administrators to read and understand.
• It can be handled by equipment ranging from embedded devices to dedicated servers.

Future Development

• After the adoption as a standard Linux function, the upgrades as open source and Linux community activities that have been conducted in the past will be continued.
• The scope of TOMOYO Linux application, including embedded devices, will be studied and development pursued, and a search for partners will be made.
• Study will be given to training services and support to enable the software's employment in commercial applications with peace of mind.

Endorsement

With the adoption of TOMOYO Linux in the Linux mainline, an endorsement has been received, as follows:

NTT DATA's involvement in OSS

NTT DATA has worked to stimulate the diffusion and development of OSS programs. They include, in addition to TOMOYO Linux, the TERASOLUNA^® Framework, a system development solution with a track record in the creation of many open systems, Hinemos^®, which enjoys a strong reputation as integrated operations management software, and Maskat^®, a framework for rapid development of Ajax-based rich clients.
Looking ahead, NTT DATA will engage in broad-based activities vis-à-vis OSS, and it will further emphasize business aspects such as system development employing OSS as well as support. In addition, through open source development and publication, NTT DATA will participate in and provide feedback to the OSS community at home and abroad, thereby contributing to the vibrancy of the OSS community.

Activities of NTT Cyber Space Laboratories

NILFS, the file system developed by NTT Cyber Space Laboratories, has been adopted for use in standard kernel 2.6.30, for which TOMOYO Linux has been adopted. For details, see the following NTT news release.
http://www.ntt.co.jp/news/news09e/0906/090611a.html

Comments by NTT Research and Development Planning Department's Open Source Software Center

The activities of the NTT Open Source Software Center support mission-critical system building for the NTT group utilizing Linux, PostgreSQL, and other open source software. With the adoption of TOMOYO Linux for the Linux kernel mainline, the range of Linux applications can be expected to broaden further.
The Open Source Software Center will actively support the building of more economical mission-critical systems for NTT DATA and other NTT group companies with new OSS-related technologies.

Seishi Kinohara, General Manager, Open Source Software Center, Research and Development Planning Department, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation

* TOMOYO, TERASOLUNA, Hinemos, and Maskat are registered trademarks of NTT DATA Corporation.
* Linux is a registered trademark or trademark of Linus Torvalds in Japan and other countries.
* Other names of products, services, and companies mentioned in this document are the registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective owners.

• Attachment1: Major Activities Leading Up to TOMOYO Linux Adoption into Linux Mainline