CRYPTOCard With Red Hat Every Step of the Way

Internet and network security solutions provider CRYPTOCard’s authentication server is set to ship with the application CD that will be included in boxed editions of the forthcoming Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT) Linux operating system (OS).

The CRYPTOAdmin 4.0 authentication server, coupled with the add-on API toolkit, will enable Red Hat users to add value to existing security solutions — such as firewalls and virtual private networks (VPNs) — by building token-based authentication to guard against network intrusion. Business customers will be given a license for up to ten users.

“CRYPTOCard is a company based on open development and industry standards,” commented Dr. Tony Walker, vice president of development for CRYPTOCard. “We expect that the number of companies choosing to move their security servers onto Red Hat Linux will increase dramatically in the near term.”

Life After Passwords

The toolkit associated with the product — CRYPTOKit — includes capabilities for embedding a pop-up automated software token used, for instance, on Web pages to simplify the process of authentication. Additionally, CRYPTOAdmin is based on two-factor authentication.

“Users must possess the token as well as its activation code — a username and PIN, similar to a bank card,” said a CRYPTOCard company statement. “With this, organizations no longer have to reassign passwords or debate password complexity standards with users.” The product intends to make shared passwords “a thing of the past.”

About Red Hat Linux 6.1

Yesterday, Red Hat announced the imminent launch of version 6.1 of its Linux distribution. New package features will include Apache Web server support enhancements, Star Office 5.1a and Red Hat Update Agent, an inclusion that will allow customers to access software updates online. Red Hat 6.1, available October 18th through Red Hat’s information and e-commerce site, will feature standard, deluxe and professional editions.

Linux Meets PKI Down Under

In other Linux-related security news, Australia-based ERACOM this week announced the release of the Linux version of its CSA7000 encryption adapter and development libraries. “The availability of open-source code provided by Linux is consistent with strong cryptography in that it encourages scrutiny by the developer community,” stated Chris Curtis, vice president of development for the security solutions provider.

“In terms of encryption processing functionality,” according to ERACOM, CSA7000 is derived from the company’s security modules technology that is widely implemented to insure the integrity of ATM and other financial transactions. The new public key infrastructure (PKI)-based product works with the Caldera, Red Hat and SuSE distributions of the increasingly popular Linux open-source operating system to enable development of security applications.