WireX, Developer of `Immunized' Linux Server Appliance Software, Releases Immunix OS 6.2

Business Wire, July 19, 2000

Business Editors

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2000

WireX Communications, Inc., a developer of purpose-specific server software, commonly known as server appliances, today announced the release of Immunix OS 6.2, an "immunized" Red Hat Linux distribution.

The current release, Immunix OS 6.2, is based on Red Hat 6.2, however all C source-available programs have been re-compiled with the StackGuard compiler. The result is a system that is compatible with Red Hat Linux, but is protected against a majority of all Internet security attacks. The Immunix security Toolkit includes StackGuard, SubDomain, and CryptoMark. These technologies provide security bug tolerance, meaning that even if a security vulnerability is found in one of the programs supplied with Immunix OS, the vulnerability most likely will not be exploitable by attackers.

The other Immunix technologies, SubDomain and CryptoMark, will be included in a future release of Immunix OS. "We are giving back to the open source community by developing security tools that have been made open source and are readily available now," says Dr. Crispin Cowan, Immunix Chief Security Scientist.

Immunix Toolkit Features and Benefits

All integrated software components are compiled and hardened with the Immunix Toolkit. There are three embedded components to Immunix:

-- StackGuard - Prevents illegal intrusions to its mission critical data by performing access denials. This feature acts like a bank's vault alarm system that shuts down upon intrusion.

-- SubDomain - Prevents further hacker access to other servers. It is like a virtual firewall inside the server that restricts file access to programs running on the server. If a malignant program is introduced to the system it is corralled in its own cell and cannot affect other applications. This feature can be turned on or off during the installation process.

-- CryptoMark - Protects software integrity of the system and prevents system corruption. This feature prevents improper software installation and application add-ons against security attacks by protecting and hardening the applications (modules). In turn, this secures servers against specific attacks, like buffer overflows, and prevents corruption of files and system resources by confining suspect programs.

The end result is a system that is easier to administer, less expensive to operate, and is host-survivable without performance penalty.

More information is available by download from http://immunix.org:

-- Individual StackGuarded binary RPMs for x86 Linux systems.

-- The complete ISO 9660 CD-ROM image (650 MB)

-- The StackGuard 2.0 compiler. Now ported to EGCS/GCC 3.0,

available as:

o Binary RPM

o Source RPM

o Source tar ball

o Patches to EGCS

-- Online ordering: Available soon

About WireX

WireX Communications, Inc. is a Portland, Oregon-based software developer of purpose-specific server appliances, featuring an easy-to-use, scalable, web-based administration interface. WireX's products - Immunix Server Appliances, RNAEngine and Byosa enable partners to build "immunized" (i.e. host-survivable) Linux server appliances quickly, dependably and economically. WireX's solutions are delivered through a network of OEMs and Network Solution Providers. The company (www.wirex.com) is located in the heart of the Silicon Forest at 920 SW 3rd Avenue, Suite 100, Portland, OR 97204 and may be reached at 503/222-9660 or email at info@wirex.com

WireX, Immunix, RNAEngine, Byosa, StackGuard, SubDomain, and Cryptomark are trademarks of WireX Communications, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are gratefully acknowledged.