Page 50 - GAO-02-327 Electronic Government: Challenges to Effective Adoption of the Extensible Markup Language

Chapter 3: The Federal Government Faces
Challenges in Realizing XML’s Full Potential

still a relatively new technology, it is unclear how significant this potential
vulnerability will be. We were unable to find documented examples of
successful intrusions based on this potential vulnerability.

To mitigate this risk, system developers need to ensure that security is
addressed when XML-based systems are implemented. For example,
measures can be taken to check the integrity of the data received by a
computer system, and software can be used to screen the incoming data
for malicious code. Likewise, a local store of commonly used DTDs and
schemas can be maintained as a check against the integrity of the
corresponding DTDs and schemas that come with XML documents from
outside sources.

These are a few of the more significant challenges facing XML system
implementers. Table 6 summarizes these and other key strengths and
pitfalls of XML.

Table 6: Strengths and Pitfalls of XML
Strengths Pitfalls
XML’s flexible, human-readable data tags and structures can be Defining unique data tags and structures can potentially lead to
easily adapted to many different needs. compatibility problems with other systems and defeat the goal of
broad-based data exchange.
XML standards are freely available and nonproprietary. It is easy for vendors and others to build nonstandard extensions
to their products and systems, which also could inhibit broad-
based data exchange. For example, incompatible business
vocabularies have already been developed.
Information in XML documents can potentially be readily Increasing access to information that is tagged in human-
accessed and shared among disparate systems. readable form increases security concerns.
It is easy to search tagged XML data for specific information. Data that are not highly structured—such as narrative text—may
be difficult to convert to XML. Further, converting nontagged
information to XML format may require a significant effort without
prior agreements and established data dictionaries.
XML uses the nearly ubiquitous existing infrastructure of the Using the Internet involves greater security and reliability risks
Internet. than using private communications links.

The Intellor Group, Inc., conducted a survey on XML benefits and
challenges in 2001 and collected 232 responses from many different
1
industries and government agencies. The respondents identified the major
benefits of XML as (1) providing a common format that facilitates
participation in business-to-business data exchanges, (2) establishing

1
Intellor Group, Inc., XML Adoption: Benefits and Challenges (2001).

Page 46 GAO-02-327 Electronic Government