No Swan Song for Open Source IPsec

Internet protocol security for Linux got a boost today from Novell, which announced that it would be officially sponsoring and contributing to the Openswan open source project. Corporate enterprises and others widely use the standard -- commonly known as IPsec -- as a standard security measure for virtual private networks (VPNs) and it is usually regarded as being more robust and secure than simple SSL secured access. IPSec provides for both encryption and authentication to secure data and is a standardized protocol from the IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force). The problem facing Openswan had been a lack of a corporate sponsor who could help rally additional support. Now, executives with Provo, Utah-based Novell are showing a willingness to step in.

"Novell has long been a champion of secure remote access, and they recognize the benefits of IPsec virtual private networks for their customers," said Ken Bantoft, Openswan product manager in a statement. "Novell's sponsorship of Openswan allows for the continued development and maintenance of the project and lets us offer new services that will secure our position as the leading IPsec open source project."

Read Full Story