Oral history interview with Marvin Schaefer

Abstract

This interview with computer security pioneer Marvin Schaefer discusses his roles and perspectives on computer security work at the System Development Corporation over many years (an organization he began working at in the summer of 1965), as well as his work at the National Computer Security Center in helping to create the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TCSEC). With the latter he relates the challenges to writing the criteria, the debates over the structure and levels, and the involvement of criteria lawyers. He also summarizes his work at the company Trusted Information Systems. In addition to detailing his pivotal work in computer security, he offers insightful commentary on issues in the field such as the Bell-LaPadula Model, John McLean’s System Z, and other topics.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1116862, “Building an Infrastructure for Computer Security History.”