This week, perhaps the most interesting articles include "Defense Kicks Off Open-Source Encryption Program," "Put your OpenSSH server in SSHjail," and "."

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LinuxSecurity.com Feature Extras:

RFID with Bio-Smart Card in Linux - In this paper, we describe the integration of fingerprint template and RF smart card for clustered network, which is designed on Linux platform and Open source technology to obtain biometrics security. Combination of smart card and biometrics has achieved in two step authentication where smart card authentication is based on a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and the card holder is authenticated using the biometrics template stored in the smart card that is based on the fingerprint verification. The fingerprint verification has to be executed on central host server for security purposes. Protocol designed allows controlling entire parameters of smart security controller like PIN options, Reader delay, real-time clock, alarm option and cardholder access conditions.

pgp Key Signing Observations: Overlooked Social and Technical Considerations - While there are several sources of technical information on using pgp in general, and key signing in particular, this article emphasizes social aspects of key signing that are too often ignored, misleading or incorrect in the technical literature. There are also technical issues pointed out where I believe other documentation to be lacking. It is important to acknowledge and address social aspects in a system such as pgp, because the weakest link in the system is the human that is using it. The algorithms, protocols and applications used as part of a pgp system are relatively difficult to compromise or 'break', but the human user can often be easily fooled. Since the human is the weak link in this chain, attention must be paid to actions and decisions of that human; users must be aware of the pitfalls and know how to avoid them.

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Thank you for reading the LinuxSecurity.com weekly security newsletter. The purpose of this document is to provide our readers with a quick summary of each week's most relevant Linux security headline.

New Encryption Technologies Provide Easy Key Management, Key Recovery and Federation
21st, April, 2007

Encryption has traditionally been difficult and expensive to use. This reputation was often well deserved. The 1999 study by Alma Whitten and. J. D. Tygar at Carnegie-Mellon University,