Mocana offers an alternative to OpenSSL on Apache web servers
At the Black Hat USA 2014 conference, Mocana debuted its enterprise-grade NorthStar secure connectivity solution for Apache web servers, a highly secure, drop-in replacement for the vulnerability-prone and widely adopted OpenSSL stack.
OpenSSL is the default cryptographic library provided for Apache web servers. According to the June 2014 Netcraft Web Server Survey, Apache web servers power about 51 percent of the nearly 200 million active web sites globally – those actively managing content and providing information and services to Internet users.
Developed using the most modern programming practices and tools by security experts to achieve the highest code quality, Mocana NorthStar gets enterprise IT off the security patching treadmill with a high-quality SSL/TLS alternative to OpenSSL that can be installed on Apache servers with a single command in a few minutes.
NorthStar is Mocana’s first enterprise solution for the secure sockets layer (SSL) and transport layer security (TLS) protocols. It includes all the necessary connecting “glue” needed to provide a simple, drop-in replacement for OpenSSL on Apache web servers. Mocana also offers its NanoSSL solution for developers to provide secured data transport for switches, routers, access points and modems, as well as medical equipment, industrial sensors, smart grid devices, camcorders and many other embedded devices that comprise the Internet of Things.
“Complexity is the enemy of security, and with 457,000 lines of code that need patching seemingly every week, OpenSSL has kept many IT managers awake at night, waiting to react to the next announced vulnerability. The code for the TLS stack in NorthStar is only a fraction of that size, and has been comprehensively tested,” said James Blaisdell, CTO at Mocana.
“The open source community has made numerous useful and popular contributions to the software industry, including the Apache server itself. But, it is clear that in the case of OpenSSL, this route has failed to keep up with industry and compliance requirements. Mocana NorthStar provides a quick, easy way for organizations to eliminate this pain point with a professionally developed, tested and maintained SSL implementation that is based on our highly successful NanoSSL product, which has proven itself in a long list of mission-critical applications.”
The solution is available now for all major Linux platforms. Licensed customers receive source code and precompiled binaries with per-server perpetual or subscription licensing, and volume discounts available.
