Risks by Using COTS Products and Commercial ICT Services
Abstract
Among the requirements influencing today's procurement of new information and communications systems. the most prominent are * cost effectiveness * use of the latest developments in information and communications technology (ICT) through the whole lifetime of a system. This can no longer be achieved in procurement procedures as they used to be, with long planning and development phases, resulting in proprietary products based more and more often on out-dated technology at the time they go operational. Also, storage or provision of spare parts for and maintenance of such fully or mainly proprietary systems, as well as the education and training of personnel for their operation and maintenance, are increasingly cost intensive. The alternative and inevitable approach is the consequent use of COTS products, allowing for easy and timely release changes and introduction of new hard and software versions when they come to market&, paired with the consequent outsourcing of all those services which are available with comparable or higher quality by non-military providers, allowing usually to choose among competitive offers. However though on first view this new way of procurement seems to perfectly meet the above mentioned requirements for cost effectiveness and application of the latest ICT developments there is also a new class of risks to be identified and dealt with. After summarizing the eminent advantages of the consequent use of COTS products and outsourcing this paper will address the risks that have to be considered and finally point out methods to improve confidence in how to use unsecure products and services.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADP010665
Entities
People
- Susanne Jantsch