Custom built products do not always meet the new Department of Defense (DoD) requirements. Their high cost and lengthy development cycle does not suit the Information Age where communication information and technology develop rapidly. To adapt to this new environment, Commercial off The Shelf (COTS) software products have become the core for Military systems. This is the only way to approach the readiness requirements for armed forces. Like any other products, COTS software brings a lot of advantages but also carries side effects for military systems. One of the most serious issues for military use of a COTS software product is its security. This thesis provides an analysis of approaches to identify the security vulnerabilities and recommends an acquisition approach to minimize the issue. It is not the intent of this thesis to find a universal approach to solve the security issue of COTS products.

http://archive.org/details/commercialoffthe109452599