Security Enhanced Linux to Enforce Mandatory Access Control in Health Information Systems

Franco, L., Sahama, T. and Croll, P.

This paper introduces Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux) as the required Operating System (OS) to enforce Mandatory Access Control (MAC) mechanisms to protect Health Information. Health Information Systems (HIS) require an OS which can enforce MAC rules so that access to the resources does not rely on the discretion of the users, thus minimizing the damage when users' applications are compromised. SELinux provides a flexible and fine-grained MAC architecture implementing a combination of Type Enforcement (TE) and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). SELinux however, is considered to be difficult to implement because of the complexity of SELinux policies required by the fine-grained access controls. To reduce the complexity to manage SELinux policies different tools and methods have been developed increasing the feasibility to use SELinux to create trusted systems.

Cite as: Franco, L., Sahama, T. and Croll, P. (2008). Security Enhanced Linux to Enforce Mandatory Access Control in Health Information Systems. In Proc. Second Australasian Workshop on Health Data and Knowledge Management (HDKM 2008), Wollongong, NSW, Australia. CRPIT, 80. Warren, J. R., Yu, P., Yearwood, J. and Patrick, J. D., Eds. ACS. 27-33.

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