Since Java compilers are not subject to third-party testing, one wonders how the COE folks know that Java-to-JBC compilers don't "inadvertently bypass intended Java security features." Philip W. Brashear EDS Conformance Testing Center 4646 Needmore Road, Bin 46 P.O. Box 24593 Dayton, OH 45424-0593 (937) 237-4510 [log in to unmask] http://www.eds-conform.com > -----Original Message----- > From: Criley, Marc A [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: Thursday, April 06, 2000 11:13 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: DII COE bars Ada -> Java compilation > > > I made the following postings on comp.lang.ada to get some > general feedback, > and Britt Snodgrass subsequently suggested I repost them to Team Ada. > > First the original posting: > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To Ada to JBC compiler vendors: > > Section 8.2.3 (Miscellaneous) of the Defense Information > Infrastructure > Common Operating Environment (DII COE) Integration & Run-Time > Specification (I&RTS) v4.0 states that "Developers shall not use > compilers designed to convert code developed in other languages (e.g., > Ada, C++) to create Java byte-codes. This restriction is important > because such compilers may inadvertently bypass intended Java security > features." > > Is this a legitimate concern? I can kinda see how it might be, since > for instance Java forbids things like uninitialized objects (though I > vaguely recall some kind of exception to that), which Ada permits. I > suspect I could probably come up with some other potential > problems if I > dug into it. > > If the Ada to JBC compilers do not introduce the security > risks that the > I&RTS warns about, some educating is clearly called for. > > Marc A. Criley > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > After getting the hoped-for raising of wrath and ire, I > followed up with > this: > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > Given the resounding repudiation of this prohibition against Ada (or > > other language) to Java compilers, I'd like to try to get > it removed. > > > > Though I'm not working on a DII COE compliant program, I'm > going to try > > to look at and work the process to get it removed. If anyone > > (particularly among those responding) has any technical > material, white > > papers, etc., with which to buttress this effort, I would > be happy to > > incorporate those into this drive. > > > > Alternatively, if someone feels they're in a better > position to attack > > this issue now that it's been identified, I'll defer to and support > > them. > > > > Thanks for the responses. > > > > Marc A. Criley > > Software Architect > > Lockheed Martin M&DS > > [log in to unmask] > > >