Intel boosts e-business with open source code

Intel plans to publish the source code for its security software to push the adoption of secure e-business computing, particularly for the Linux operating system.

The chip giant announced plans to make its Common Data Security Architecture (CDSA) open source, at a security conference in Munich last week.

Making the software open source means that it can be modified and used by developers with any operating system to add security features to e-business applications. "This will allow companies around the world to develop software and hardware security products faster and cheaper," said Intel in a statement. "This open source approach will also allow CDSA software to be used as the security infrastructure for the Linux operating system."

CDSA provides security services such as encryption and decryption, secure data storage and user authentication. It was adopted by standards body The Open Group in 1997 and is used by IBM, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, and Motorola. The announcement reveals the extent to which major IT players are following the open source model championed by Linux as well as helping its adoption.

Clive McCafferty, MD at security analyst CenturyCom, said that the announcement was good news for software developers. "It's a long-held view that if cryptography became easily manageable then it wouldn't matter who got hold of the data as long as you are confident in your algorithms," he said. "Open source is a step towards this, although you will always run into the problem of managing keys."