Speaking in the week that Sun announced that Wal-Mart will now sell hardware from Microtel Computer Systems Inc. preloaded with the Linux-based Java Desktop System, Sun's Jonathan Schwartz reminded reporters of the importance of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

Officially called the Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act, but more commonly know as "Sarbanes-Oxley," the Act makes it legally binding for a public company to funnel its data - accounting, financial management, and legal data - through information technology. This opens issues as to the completeness and accuracy of every code fragment and algorithm embedded in any project, which in turn makes the issue of identity management crucial. The Java Desktop System has a strict security system of root access control.

"Sarbanes-Oxley will be a huge driver," said Schwartz, "as viruses and Sarbanes-Oxley are essentially about the same thing: knowing where the content is coming from and who the source is." 

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