Novell snaps up Linux security company

Purchase of Immunix will boost product offerings, company says

By Martyn Williams

May 10, 2005 12:00 PM ET

Recommended

IDG News Service - Linux vendor Novell Inc. has acquired Immunix Inc., a security software vendor in Portland, Ore. The 15-person company was bought last week, but terms of the deal aren't being released, according to Novell.
Immunix was founded in 1998, in part with money from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, to develop security software for Linux. It's best known for developing much of the Linux Security Modules software that's used in the Linux 2.6 kernel, a key component of the Linux operating system.
By acquiring the company, Novell hopes to strengthen its security product offerings, said Charlie Ungashick, a director of product marketing at Novell. "Security is becoming a really hot topic, particularly around Linux," he said.
Immunix sells software called AppArmor that can be used to secure Linux-based applications by limiting how they can interact with hardware within the computer.
AppArmor is already designed to work with Novell's YAST (Yet Another Setup Tool) management software, making it a natural acquisition target, Ungashick said. Novell expects to begin selling AppArmor, which will be rebranded Novell AppArmor, within the week, he said.
The Immunix team will continue to operate out of its Portland offices, Ungashick said. Novell is based in Waltham, Mass.

Reprinted with permission from

IDG.net
Story copyright 2009 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Jump to comments

Linux

Additional Resources

WHITE PAPER

Do You Know the 7 Steps to Successful Data Migration?

Approximately 60 percent of data migration projects overrun time or budget, while some fail completely. Download this white paper, "Enhancing Your Chance for Successful Data Migration," to learn the critical steps you need to take to execute a data migration project with minimum cost and risk to your business.

WHITE PAPER

Total Cost of Ownership of Server Computing Vs. PCs

Read the Gartner research note to learn why the TCO of a server-based computing deployment used to deliver all applications to users is around 50% lower than that of an unmanaged desktop deployment.

WHITE PAPER

IDC White Paper: Linux in a Global Recession

Economic downturns have a tendency to accelerate emerging technologies, boost the adoption of effective solutions, and punish solutions that are not cost competitive or that are out of synch with industry trends. This IDC White Paper presents the results of an IDC survey of 330 companies in Western Europe, Asia/Pacific and the Americas that measures the receptiveness to Linux and takes into consideration changing views driven by the disruptive economic environment that businesses face today.

White Papers & Webcasts

Keeping hold of your customers, especially in tough economic conditions
Download Now!

The Commercialization of ITIL: Lessons Learned
Register for this event today!

Oracle Accelerate - Not Just Smart but Timely
Download Now!

Key Findings: Accelerating ROI with BPM
Click here to watch now!

Why BI is Ripe - Now! - For Businesses of Any Size
Download Now!

Top to Bottom Performance Management Excellence at the City of Chicago
View now.

How Midsize Businesses Are Using ERP To Gain Competitive Advantage in a Tough Economy
Download Now!

Strategies for Driving Down IT Support Costs with Lite ITIL Practices
View this now!

Leveling the Field: Powerful Software Solutions for Midsize Companies
Download Now!

Data Protection is not an insurance policy -you cannot buy-back lost data
Find out why you need to maintain access to critical information to run your business and remain competitive.

All White Papers | All Webcasts