Press Releases

Press Release

VSHELL 2.2 MARKS VANDYKE SOFTWARE'S ENTRY INTO UNIX MARKET

Secure Shell Server for UNIX Raises the Bar for Fine-Tune Control Over Security

Albuquerque, N.M. (June 17, 2002) VanDyke Software™, a leader in powerful and affordable Secure Shell solutions, today announced the public beta release of version 2.2 of its VShell™ SSH2 server for Windows and, for the first time, UNIX® platforms including Redhat Linux and Sun Solaris. Customer demand for a server offering the same tight controls over privileges and permissions as VShell for Windows convinced the company that the UNIX market has plenty of room for a new solution offering fine-tune control and support for enterprise-wide authentication.

VShell for UNIX offers many of the enhancements VanDyke has developed for its Windows server line including precise and granular control over end user privileges, automation tools to reduce administrator time spent on routine tasks, and industry- leading support for authentication methods favored by enterprise organizations. VShell 2.2 is the first Secure Shell server to offer built-in support for Kerberos (v5) authentication via GSSAPI. The methodology for this support was a joint effort between the Secure Shell and Kerberos IETF working groups.

To ensure the highest quality release possible, VanDyke submitted the pre-release beta version of the UNIX server to @stake, a digital security consulting firm, to perform a vulnerability assessment and provide recommendations to make the UNIX server as secure as possible. Rigorous testing by @stake allowed VanDyke to resolve a number of potential vulnerabilities prior to the public beta release.

In his analysis, Tim Newsham of @stake, said that their analysis "found that the program was surprisingly robust and secure for an unreleased product. This appears to be the result of high coding standards and internal peer review."

"VShell 2.2 raises the bar for Secure Shell on the UNIX platform," said Kelli Burkinshaw, VanDyke's Product Director. "Our customers told us they wanted a Secure Shell solution for UNIX that offered the same fine-tune control over privileges, security, responsive support, and innovation we've been offering for Windows. With the addition of support for Kerberos authentication, we're continuing our commitment to deliver the authentication options our enterprise customers need to standardize their network environments."

VShell 2.2 extends any server's ability to act as a focal point for information sharing in corporate, government, and educational environments, combining simple, intuitive configuration with the strong security of the Secure Shell protocol. VShell uses Access Control Lists (ACLs) to align network access, file transfer, and application tunneling privileges with a company's security policies.

VanDyke Software is a worldwide leader in secure, standards-based Internet communications software. The company develops quality data access, file transfer, and communications software for Internet and intranet use by corporations, government, and education. VanDyke sells and distributes its software over the Internet, offering 30-day evaluation of its products prior to purchase, and has more than 900,000 registered users in over 103 countries.

For more information about VanDyke Software, visit the company's web site at www.vandyke.com.

About @stake, Inc.
@stake, the premier digital consulting firm, provides security services and award-winning products to assess and manage risk in complex enterprise environments. The company's SmartRisk services cover key aspects of security, including applications, critical infrastructure, wireless and wired networks, storage systems, education, and incident readiness. @stake consultants combine technical expertise with a business focus to create comprehensive security solutions for industry leading companies in financial services, information technology, energy & utilities, healthcare, and telecommunications.

For more information, go to www.atstake.com.

Copyright © 2003 VanDyke Software, Inc. All Rights Reserved. VanDyke Software and VShell, are trademarks or registered trademarks of VanDyke Software, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other products and services mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.