Novell Unveils Linux App Security Project

Novell Inc. on Tuesday launched an open-source project for developing technology that provides application security for Linux.

In unveiling the project, the Waltham, Mass., company donated core components of its AppArmor framework. AppArmor is enterprise level application security software that Novell says can be deployed in hours and maintained cost-effectively without the use of high-level Linux and security expertise.

The AppArmor project is expected to fill what Novell claims is a major void in open-source technology, easy-to-use software configuration and monitoring tools that are tightly integrated with the Linux operating system.

“Novell is focused on ensuring open source technology can meet the most demanding enterprise needs, and few issues are as important to enterprises as having a very simple means to ensure application security,” Jeff Jaffe, executive vice president and chief technology officer for Novell, said in a statement.

The company said it is contributing AppArmor code and tools. The technology is based on products Novell obtained through its acquisition of Immunix last year. AppArmor currently ships with Suse Linux 10.0, and with Novell's Suse Linux Enterprise Server 9 Service Pack 3.The new open-source project is licensed under the GNU General Public License.