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FreeBSD system administrators are familiar with the UNIX security model: users, groups, and file permissions. However, security for UNIX systems has been one of the most active areas of OS research and development over the last ten years, leading to dozens of new features between FreeBSD 4.x and FreeBSD 6.x. This talk will provide a lightning tour of some of the new FreeBSD security features, describing where they may be useful and how to use them. Topics covered include Access Control Lists (ACLs), Security Event Auditing, and system hardening techniques based on the TrustedBSD MAC Framework. The presenter offers a unique perspective as the designer or implementor of several of these features.
Robert Watson is a researcher at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory investinging operating system and network security. Prior to joining the Computer Laboratory to work on a PhD, he was Senior Principal Scientist at McAfee Research, now SPARTA ISSO, a leading security research and development organization, directing government and commercial research contracts for customers that include DARPA, the US Navy, and Apple Computer. His research interests include operating system security, network stack structure and performance, and windowing system structure. He is also a member of the FreeBSD Core Team and president of the FreeBSD Foundation.