Distributed Operating System Security and Protection: A Short Survey

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate several modern distributed operating systems (DiOSs) and their security policies and mechanisms. We survey the various security and protection issues present in DiOSs and review strategies and techniques used by DiOSs to control access to system resources and protect the integrity of the information stored in the system from accidental events and malicious activities. Further, we distinguish between network security and DiOSs security and explore the attack surface of DiOSs compared to traditional operating systems. We concentrate on a class of distributed operating systems known as cloud operating systems (COSs).