Ok, to be more serious for a bit, a goal of the OpenBSD project is to produce a Unix like operating system. To the extent "innovation" is "don't be Unix" it's somewhat counter to project goals.
Well, there we go. That's unfortunate, but understandable. However, it still allows you to build on decades of work in security engineering (incl old secure UNIX's). The easiest route at this point is putting OpenBSD API on top of a microkernel, pulling security-critical functionality out of main system onto microkernel, and bulletproofing your middleware for these. Additionally, writing the code in a way that lets tools such as Astree Analyzer work on as much of it as possible will knock out many bugs. Compiler tools that automatically transform kernel or user-mode code to make it safer might help. Softbound + CETS comes to mind.
Much to draw on or improve while remaining a UNIX. The microkernel + user-mode virtualization approach has already been done in academia and commercial products. So, it could be done here. Will they? Another matter entirely. I doubt it.
Truth be told, though, I voted for the Xen Dom0 to use OpenBSD because 0-days would be its main concern. And we know which team is the best at removing them from a UNIX codebase. ;)
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Nah, I'm just not running OpenBSD. Gotta stay where the innovation is at, both in productivity and security. ;)
Ok, to be more serious for a bit, a goal of the OpenBSD project is to produce a Unix like operating system. To the extent "innovation" is "don't be Unix" it's somewhat counter to project goals.
Well, there we go. That's unfortunate, but understandable. However, it still allows you to build on decades of work in security engineering (incl old secure UNIX's). The easiest route at this point is putting OpenBSD API on top of a microkernel, pulling security-critical functionality out of main system onto microkernel, and bulletproofing your middleware for these. Additionally, writing the code in a way that lets tools such as Astree Analyzer work on as much of it as possible will knock out many bugs. Compiler tools that automatically transform kernel or user-mode code to make it safer might help. Softbound + CETS comes to mind.
Much to draw on or improve while remaining a UNIX. The microkernel + user-mode virtualization approach has already been done in academia and commercial products. So, it could be done here. Will they? Another matter entirely. I doubt it.
Truth be told, though, I voted for the Xen Dom0 to use OpenBSD because 0-days would be its main concern. And we know which team is the best at removing them from a UNIX codebase. ;)