This is a copy of the C2Net Press Release from 20 Dec 1995
Community ConneXion today announced Apache-SSL Commerce, a commercial version of the Apache webserver with support for Netscape Communication Corporation's Secure Sockets Layer, a standard for encrypted communications over the Internet.
Community ConneXion's Apache-SSL package includes Apache v1.0.0, extensions to Apache which enable the SSL protocol, additional customizations to the webserver, and tools to aid in server and SSL maintainence. The server supports virtual hosts and an extensible API to allow for easy modifications to the behavior of the server. Apache is currently the fastest growing HTTP server, looking set to become the most used web server on the net in 1996.
Sameer Parekh, President of Community ConneXion, commented on their release of the encrypting webserver, "We're very happy to make available an affordable SSL server to the Internet community. For security to work, it must be ubiquitous, which requires that encrypting servers be affordable and widely deployed."
Apache-SSL is available for free to non-commercial users, and the commercial use package, Apache-SSL Commerce, is available for $495.00. Customers who own versions of other commercial encrypting webservers can upgrade to Apache-SSL Commerce for $295.00. In addition to the right to use the server in commercial applications, the commercial package includes support and free lifetime upgrades from Community ConneXion. Apache-SSL Commerce is not available outside the United States, but Apache-SSL is available for free, both commercially and non-commercially, outside the United States from Ben Laurie, of A. L. Digital, Ltd.
The Apache-SSL Commerce webserver is the only commercial encrypting webserver with source available. Ian Goldberg, graduate student at U.C. Berkeley, well-known for his work on SSL security, commented on the importance of available source, "The public release of source, especially for security-critical sections of code, is vital for a product in which the public must put its trust. It's far better for me to be able to check the software that's used, say, for accessing my bank account via the Web, for security problems, than for me to be forced to trust whatever company put out the product. Companies will soon find that releasing more information about the internals of their products will lead not only to better products, but better reputations, as well."
Portions developed by the Apache Group, taken with permission from the Apache Server http://www.apache.org/ This product includes software developed by Ben Laurie for use in the Apache-SSL HTTP server project. This product includes software developed by Eric Young eay@mincom.oz.au
Information on Apache-SSL is available at http://www.c2.org/apachessl/ Questions and inquiries regarding the server should be sent to apachessl@c2.org
Community ConneXion, founded in June of 1994, is the leading provider of privacy on the Internet. They provide anonymous and pseudonymous internet access and web pages in addition to powerful web service, virtual hosts, and web design consultation. Information is available from their web pages at http://www.c2.org/
