[2017-10-17]Top Secret? Microsoft Opens Door to Government Blockchain Use

[Yaunfitda]

Top Secret? Microsoft Opens Door to Government Blockchain Use

The U.S. government's most sensitive data could soon be secured on a blockchain.

Revealed today at Microsoft's Government Cloud Forum 2017 in Washington D.C., the tech giant is launching Azure Government Secret – a service designed to provide government agencies better access to cloud computing. In doing so, however, Microsoft is notably opening the door to its blockchain offering – along with the new service, it is also allowing its existing Government Cloud clients access to the Microsoft Azure blockchain-as-a-service suite.

Launched in 2015 as a way for private firms to experiment with blockchain tools, Microsoft Azure's offering now hosts technology offerings from partner providers including Chain, ConsenSys and Emercoin in a sandbox environment. But while private sector users of Microsoft's cloud services have been able to build with those tools for years, the stringent security requirements of the U.S. government have previously prevented these agencies from utilizing such products.

Specifically, six of Microsoft's data centers have now been "isolated" and given provisional "Level 5" Department of Defense authorization. Further, a number of certifications have been accommodated, including for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).

https://www.coindesk.com/top-secret-microsoft-upgrades-azure-blockchain-government-use/

[aso118]

Considering Microsoft ‘s reputation in building secure products, I am not sure if this is a good thing. Just because it has blockchain in its name doesn’t mean it is secure.

[Lieldoryn]

Microsoft always gets in the scandalous stories associated with the use of its software products. Recall the last virus Petya. It seems to me that the less secret data will use standard technology, however sensitive they will be. Any software is created by people and so there is always the opportunity to find mistakes in them.