Cygnus Solutions Demonstrates First Complete Kerberos Solution for Enterprise Customers; KerbNet Provides Critical Functionality: Meets Requirements for Deploying User Authentication in the Enterprise.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 11, 1996-- Underscoring its leadership in secure user authentication See authentication. , Cygnus today publicly demonstrated the latest KerbNet products at the Computer Security Institute's Conference and Exhibition in Chicago. Featured in this demonstration are the industry's first implementation of a Kerberos server running on Windows NT (Windows New Technology) A 32-bit operating system from Microsoft for Intel x86 CPUs. NT is the core technology in Windows 2000 and Windows XP (see Windows). Available in separate client and server versions, it includes built-in networking and preemptive multitasking. , integration with an Oracle database, and graphical administration tools. KerbNet is a commercial release of MIT's Kerberos version 5, a network security solution that guarantees the identity of network users and resources. With KerbNet, a trusted Authentication Server A device used in network access control. It stores the usernames and passwords that identify the clients logging in, or it may hold the algorithms for token access (see authentication token). ensures that users have proper access to network services, and, if necessary, they communicate using an encrypted communication channel. By guaranteeing the identity of principals, KerbNet makes user authentication a foundation for network security. KerbNet provides client and server software components as well as libraries and interfaces that can be used to "kerberize" existing applications. KerbNet customers have full access to the components -- from point and click installation and configuration utilities, to object libraries and Kerberos source code. "As more companies rely on Internet and Intranet technologies to conduct business applications, the threat to their networks and information increases dramatically," said Scott Petry, Director of Product Marketing, Cygnus Solutions Cygnus Solutions, originally Cygnus Support, was founded in 1989 by John Gilmore, Michael Tiemann and David Henkel-Wallace to provide commercial support for free software. Its tagline was: Making free software affordable. . "KerbNet provides completely secure protection against unauthorized access. Cygnus has gone to great lengths to address the requirements of business customers who need to embrace Internet technologies but still maintain control over resources." KerbNet is unique in providing secure user authentication that meets the requirements of enterprise customers: -- Today's client-server networks require services to be deployed on multi-vendor platforms and operate identically. The KerbNet Authentication Server is the industry's first Kerberos server that runs on Windows NT and the range of UNIX UNIX Operating system for digital computers, developed by Ken Thompson of Bell Laboratories in 1969. It was initially designed for a single user (the name was a pun on the earlier operating system Multics). platforms. KerbNet also provides client software for workstations, NT, PC, and Macintosh computers. -- Solutions in the enterprise must scale to support many thousands of users. Cygnus provides the only Kerberos server that can tap the power of an Oracle database for keeping user profile information safe, secure, and readily available. -- Security technologies must be easy to deploy. Cygnus provides the industry's only graphical front end for managing Kerberos users, groups, profile information, and more. KerbNet supports the Generic Security Services Security services are state institutions for the provision of intelligence, primarily of a strategic nature, but also including protective security intelligence. Examples include the Security Service (MI5) and the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) in the United Kingdom, and the API (GSSAPI GSSAPI Generic Security Service Application Program Interface GSSAPI Generic Security Services Api ) for easy integration into applications. GSSAPI is a standard interface that allows developers to add security services to applications without requiring them to understand the underlying technology. Applications written to the GSSAPI can leverage the robust authentication services of KerbNet as easily as linking in a library. Cygnus is the leading commercial development force behind Kerberos. Cygnus' KerbNet is based on Internet standards See Internet Engineering Task Force. RFC (Request For Comments) A document that describes the specifications for a recommended technology. Although the word "request" is in the title, if the specification is ratified, it becomes a standards document. 1510 and 1508. Cygnus' implementation of Kerberos has been deployed by organizations in all industries including AT&T, Oracle, Xerox, UUNET (UUNET Technologies, Inc., Fairfax, VA, www.uunet.net) Founded in 1987, UUNET was the first commercial Internet service provider. Originally offering e-mail and news, it became a full Internet service organization providing dial-up and leased line accounts as well as archive space for , NASA NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. NASA in full National Aeronautics and Space Administration Independent U.S. , and others. Pricing and availability details for KerbNet will be released at a later date. About Cygnus Solutions In 1989, Cygnus Solutions began modernizing the software development marketplace by delivering Internet technologies with commercial support as an alternative to proprietary, single vendor solutions. Today, Cygnus helps its customers create and deliver solutions faster by developing, delivering, and supporting robust development tools and software components for the embedded and native software markets. Cygnus Solutions is a global company with headquarters in Mountain View, Calif., and additional offices in the United Kingdom and Japan. For more information on Cygnus, visit the web site at http://www.cygnus.com. CONTACT: Cygnus Solutions Jeacline Marinkovic, 415/903-1442 jeacline@cygnus.com or Golin/Harris Technologies Dawn Harris, 415/904-7000 ext. 212 dharris@hi-tech.com |
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