OpenBSD Announces Release 2.7
2 - 4 min read
Jun 15, 2000
Calgary, Canada -- OpenBSD announces release 2.7 of the "Secure by Default" operating system for Internet servers and workstations. OpenBSD 2.7 significantly enhances the built-in strong cryptography with the OpenSSH suite to support the SSH 1 and 2 secure communication protocols and drivers for hardware accelerators for IPSec VPNs.
"OpenBSD's principal goal of security and stability is NETSEC's basis for using it as foundation of our managed security solution," stated Todd Waskelis, NETSEC Vice President. "We've even funded the development efforts of the hardware crypto support in OpenBSD 2.7, which allows us to deliver high bandwidth VPN connections cost-effectively to our clients, and as a bonus, anyone can do it themselves since the code is free".
OpenBSD's cryptography has been further enhanced by encrypting virtual memory swap space, and by more flexible ISAKMPD key exchange and operating modes for IP Security networking. OpenBSD completely avoids the US export controls on cryptography because it is published in Canada with cryptographic software developed entirely outside the USA. Support for SSH1 and HTTPS secure protocols depends on the RSA public key algorithm patented in the USA. Users worldwide may use the OpenSSL free library while those in the USA must use the non-commercial RSAREF library to abide by the patent.
"This is the last release where we have to worry about the RSA patent since it expires on September 21", says project leader Theo de Raadt. "RSA is the premier key exchange algorithm and this patent has held a greater stranglehold on cryptographic operations than any government policy". OpenBSD's SSH support is done with the free OpenSSH suite also developed by OpenBSD team members. The suite has been ported to other systems and is rapidly gaining in popularity.
OpenBSD 2.7 improves support for high end system boards, SCSI controllers, ethernet interfaces, and adds gigabit ethernet drivers and IPv6 networking. There are over 500 pre-compiled application packages ready to install, and most Linux binaries run without recompiling thanks to the emulation system.
OpenBSD is free software, released under a Berkeley-style open source license. It is developed by a team of Internet volunteers, based on UC Berkeley's 4.4BSD-Lite. OpenBSD runs on PCs, SPARC, Mac68K and other hardware. All development is funded by donations and the sale of CD-ROMs and T-shirts. Commercial support is available from third party contractors and companies.
OpenBSD on the Web:
http://www.OpenBSD.org/
What's new in OpenBSD 2.7: http://www.OpenBSD.org/27.html
About OpenSSH: http://www.OpenSSH.com/
What they say about OpenBSD: http://www.OpenBSD.org/testimonials.html
Commercial Support: http://www.OpenBSD.org/support.html
Press Contact:
Louis Bertrand Theo de Raadt Canada/US/International: The Computer Shop, Calgary, Canada Voice: (403) 243-4356 (Mon-Fri 9-5 Mountain time) Fax: (403) 243-2684 Europe: kd85.com BVBA Wim Vandeputte Kasteeldreef 85 9920 Lovendegem Belgium Email: orders@kd85.com Fax: +3292403439 About NETSEC Founded in early 1998 in Herndon, VA, NETSEC (Network Security Technologies, Inc.) is a leading national provider of network security services and Managed Security Services (MSS), including 24x7 network monitoring services, network security assessments, penetration testing, incident response, firewall and VPN architecture. https://www.netsec.net/ Contact: Joseph Nowland
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