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AMSEL:A Secure Embedded Linux Distribution
Reyk Floeter writes "AMSEL (Advanced Modular Secure Embedded Linux) is a new operating system, based on the Linux kernel, which was developed and optimized especially for the deployment in security critical embedded environments. The typical functions for an AMSEL installation are for example the deployment as firewall device or as a crypto gateway (VPN, SSH-to-Telnet).
AMSEL is Open Source Software, covered by the GNU General Public License (GPL) Version 2. In contrast to most other embedded Linux solutions, AMSEL provides a broad range of security features and -extensions. AMSEL comes with specially hardened kernel, userland and in a secure by default state. Different security mechanisms, for example a non-executable stack (x86 only), Linux capability support and privilege separation throughout many of the system's daemons, have been directly and seamlessly integrated into the distribution. Through own developments like amcli, amwall and amselect the configuration and maintainance of the system is doable even by non-Linux professionals without much effort, effectively saving time and money and providing mechanisms for revision control for the complete configuration set of a machine. AMSEL runs on a wide variety of system boards and processors that are used in the industrial embedded sector and does not require much system resources.http://www.amselinux.com"
AMSEL is Open Source Software, covered by the GNU General Public License (GPL) Version 2. In contrast to most other embedded Linux solutions, AMSEL provides a broad range of security features and -extensions. AMSEL comes with specially hardened kernel, userland and in a secure by default state. Different security mechanisms, for example a non-executable stack (x86 only), Linux capability support and privilege separation throughout many of the system's daemons, have been directly and seamlessly integrated into the distribution. Through own developments like amcli, amwall and amselect the configuration and maintainance of the system is doable even by non-Linux professionals without much effort, effectively saving time and money and providing mechanisms for revision control for the complete configuration set of a machine. AMSEL runs on a wide variety of system boards and processors that are used in the industrial embedded sector and does not require much system resources.http://www.amselinux.com"
In looking for the documentation you see "A detailed and user-friendly documentation is available separately with the complete AMSEL distribution." So I thought maybe it or something like it would be downloadable. I looked through the FTP server, and there's not a lot there. Nothing in the demos directory. Downloaded the source and didn't see much in the way of documentation there, either.
May be a good system, but I would hesitate to use it until I saw more life and info.
I went to the website, which is nicely done and looks quite commercial, and couldn't find anything about whether the product had been certified by any security agency or even if it were submitted for cerification.
That begs the question of what this exactly is. It *doesn't* look like a group of Linux hackers doing it for "the love of the game". Looking at their ftp area, there's a whopping 48Kbytes of files for downloading.
They will sell you a CD for 249.00 along with support, but with a total of 48Kbytes of source, one has to wonder what he's getting.
Maybe I drank too much cheap US beer this weekend, because I just don't get it.
"Eve of Destruction", it's not just for old hippies anymore...
We'll see