OpenBSD Archive

Stable OpenBSD 3.7 has been released. On this site there is release announcement. Changes are noticed here. Many people are downloading files, so use nearest mirror if You can from this list .

Users who want their OpenBSD machine to perform specific functions or need additional device drivers might want to customize their kernel. In other OS's, like some types of Linux, it is very popular to rebuild the kernel because the default is so bloated. For most users, the default OpenBSD kernel is sufficient; however, you can still apply kernel patches, which will require rebuilding and installing a fresh kernel.

With the recent push from OpenBSD to open firmwares to redistribution as well as obtaining new documentation for several wireless chipsets it would seem OpenBSD is pushing for other areas to open up as well.

KernelTrap has spoken with OpenBSD creator Theo de Raadt and several other OpenBSD developers regarding their recent efforts to add comprehensive wireless hardware support to OpenBSD. The article takes an in depth look at several of the dozen new drivers found in the upcoming OpenBSD 3.7 release, exploring the stories behind their development.

systrace is an OpenBSD tool that allows administrators to monitor, intercept, and restrict system calls. Find out how to get started using systrace in this chapter from 'Secure Architectures with OpenBSD'.

Most people do not use OpenBSD as a desktop OS, though there are some people who swear by it. This chapter provides an overview of OpenBSD, including its development, features, and the tools available in this operating system for your business.

YaifO is a modified OpenBSD installer for remote installations or updates via Secure Shell. It has been tested and should work on Alpha, i386, Sparc and Sparc64. It is especially useful for people who like to switch their root server from Linux to OpenBSD without access to a serial line or keyboard.

Already well-regarded as a security-focused network OS, OpenBSD stands to further upgrade its reputation with ver. 3.6, which combines enhanced services with wider hardware support. OpenBSD 3.6, which was released last month, will be a good fit for companies that wish to put services at the network edge, such as firewalls & VPNs, with more flexibility than appliance-based options could provide.

pbrowser (pbrowser = PortsBrowser) is a free implementation of a graphical frontend for the ports(7) system for OpenBSD. It allows for easy browsing through the ports(7) tree and offers search facilities to a certain extent. It is also possible to install and or delete ports and packages with pbrowser. You can rate the application here.

In order to better understand why OpenBSD has decided this is important, KernelTrap approached Theo de Raadt with a few questions. In reply he fully explains the issue, talking about how successful this form of activism has been for OpenBSD in the past, and offering specifics on exactly what they are trying to accomplish. He summarizes, "the open source community has support for all the ethernet chipsets, all the scsi chipsets, all the raid chipsets, so why should we not have support for all the wireless chipsets?"

Ryan McBride requests the help of the OpenBSD community in convincing Texas Instruments to change the license of their firmware for the ZCX100 802.11b chipset. Theo de Raadt makes a similar request directed at Intel. A success story from Theo de Raadt in using this tactic on Adaptec. This is also important for Linux and the rest of the BSDs. I had to "pirate" my Prism's firmware files in order to make the pcmcia card work with my Linuces. I don't see the point of keeping these firmware files bound.

Winter has ended in Melbourne but I'm not the sort to venture out without at least a sweater. However, the cold doesn't seem to bother Theo de Raadt as Sam Varghese sit in the lobby of the city's Duxton Hotel, a day after the end of the annual summit of the Australian Unix and Open Source User Group.

OpenBSD supports several authentication methods besides a simple password. Here are some ways you can keep your systems safe. Also, the new song for the next OpenBSD was released but Theo says that CD sales are very dissapointing.

With security the focus of this year’s Australian Unix Users Group (AUUG) conference, OpenBSD founder and project lead Theo de Raadt was invited to speak on exploit mitigation techniques. In an exclusive interview with Computerworld's Rodney Gedda, the man behind an operating system that lays claim to only one remote exploit in the default install in seven years, reveals where we are headed – and how far we have to go – in the search for more secure software