BSD Operating System Gets Critical Series of Security Enhancements

BSD Operating System Gets Critical Series of Security Enhancements

SecureBSD v1.0 Shifts Security Paradigm from Network to Host

Major Internet Sites Given "Extraordinary" Tool to Proactively Prevent Security Exploits Original BSD Developer Recognizes Product

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 10, 2000--Inforum Communications (OTC BB: IFMC) and its wholly owned subsidiary, 2Cactus Development, Inc., today introduced SecureBSD(TM) v1.0, the much-anticipated package of security enhancements for FreeBSD 3.4 and 4.0. The system is a series of enhancements for the 4.4 BSD (Berkley Systems Distribution) open source kernel that powers such Web sites as Yahoo! and Microsoft Hotmail. SecureBSD is designed to give network administrators added functionality and the ability to prevent many types of security exploits.

Released today by 2Cactus Development, Inc. (www.2Cactus.com), the preview version of SecureBSD v1.0 (www.SecureBSD.com) incorporates several key kernel level enhancements that effectively create the most secure BSD-based operating system available today. With its Intrusion Prevention methodology, SecureBSD marks a fundamental shift in the direction of system security. Instead of trying to develop a passive product that detects and then reacts to known security exploits, SecureBSD (TM) employs a proactive host-based security system that protects a system at its most critical point, the kernel.

"Today, the network based security market is congested with new competitors," said Michael Dunn, General Manager of 2Cactus. "Every day there seems to be another firewall, network security appliance, or network based Intrusion Detection System (IDS) being offered in this marketplace. As the ability of system administrators to create a well-defined perimeter to protect decreases, the value and requirement of host-based protection will grow exponentially," continued Dunn.

The SecureBSD solution is designed to protect corporate networks which are being forced to provide increased access to their systems to Web users, corporate partners, resellers, manufacturers, and others in order to take advantage of the increased efficiencies and reductions in cost-of-goods-sold that the Internet provides.

Original BSD developer recognizes SecureBSD

Marshall Kirk McKusick, one of the original developers of the BSD distributions, said, "With over twenty years of development and operational experience, the BSD operating system has built a reputation for reliability, stability, security and high performance. The SecureBSD initiative being undertaken by 2Cactus builds upon the strong FreeBSD base to provide a richer set of security control than any other open source or proprietary operating system available today."

Intrusion prevention, not intrusion detection

2Cactus is approaching the security paradigm from a different and altogether unique perspective. IDS and Firewall systems are a required and critical necessity in a layered security approach. However, 2Cactus believes those systems, utilized in a purely defensive network based architecture, are unable to afford adequate protection in the rapidly evolving business environment if malicious traffic is permitted by the Firewall (i.e. Web traffic) and is a new exploit unrecognized by the IDS systems database. This is where SecureBSD(TM) comes in.

"SecureBSD is extraordinary because, used in a layered security approach, it provides system administrators the ability to deter attacks on mission critical systems, even if attackers make it past traditional IDS and firewalls," said Jeffery Mathias, President & CEO of Inforum Communications, the parent of 2Cactus.

SecureBSD(TM) is a host-based UNIX security solution implementing many cutting-edge and unique features and concepts into the BSD kernel while also providing a new robust logging subsystem. When applied to your FreeBSD 3.4 or 4.0 system, the new SecureBSD kernel provides 20 proactive host-based security enhancements. In addition to the proactive security enhancements, the logging system provides 115 related logging events via the new logging subsystem.

One example of SecureBSD's kernel enhancements is cryptographic execution control. If the servers used as clients in the recent DDoS attacks earlier this year had been running FreeBSD with the SecureBSD enhancements, abuse of these systems to attack eBay and Amazon.com could have been prevented.

White paper available

A white paper on SecureBSD will be forthcoming and announced on the 2Cactus and SecureBSD Web sites in the next several days. Advance draft copies may be obtained by contacting 2Cactus Development directly.

About 2Cactus Development, Inc.

2Cactus Development (www.2Cactus.com) is an Internet-security software and services firm, operating in the open-source arena, based in Phoenix, Arizona. 2Cactus' cornerstone product, SecureBSD, is a comprehensive, kernel-based security solution that enhances the BSD operating system with a proactive, intrusion prevention security overlay. 2Cactus is a wholly owned subsidiary of Inforum Communications, Inc (OTC BB: IFMC).

About Berkeley Software Design, Inc. (BSDi )

Leading BSD developers founded Berkeley Software Design, Inc. in 1991 to commercialize BSD technologies and to continue the Berkeley Unix tradition of robust, reliable and extremely secure Internet operating systems for network computing. By merging Berkeley Software Design, Inc. and Walnut Creek CDROM, BSDi has become the world's leading supplier of advanced Internet operating systems for the Internet infrastructure. Contact BSDi at info@bsdi.com or at http://www.bsdi.com or call 1-719-593-9445 (toll free: 1-800-800-4273).

About the FreeBSD Project

FreeBSD is a popular open source operating system developed by the FreeBSD Project and its worldwide team, which consists of more than 5,000 developers funneling their work to 200 "committer" developers. It is available free of charge from ftp.freebsd.org and also distributed as a shrink-wrapped software product through CompUSA, Fry's, Borders, Ingram, BEST Buy, FreeBSDmall.com and others. FreeBSD includes thousands of ported applications, including the most popular Web, Internet and E-mail applications. FreeBSD is distributed under the Berkeley Software Distribution license, which means that it can be freely copied, modified and redistributed. For more information about the FreeBSD Project, visit www.freebsd.org.

About Inforum Communications, Inc.

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Inforum owns and operates a network of subsidiary companies operating in the Internet infrastructure arena. Specifically, Inforum makes strategic investments, establishes key partnerships and is aggressively pursuing a path to emerge as a leading provider of net-centric solutions to businesses seeking technology services, security and support. Under the Inforum umbrella, companies have access to an installed user base of 42,000 customers that serves as a fertile market to deploy new technology solutions. Additional information on Inforum may be obtained by visiting the Company's website at www.inforum.com.

"Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:

Certain statements contained in this release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. These risks include, among other things, risks inherent in the Company's growth strategy, market demand for the Company's services and other factors affecting the Company's prospects as described in the Company's prospectus in its Form SB-2 registration statement. By making these forward-looking statements, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release.