Hewlett-Packard is bundling new security features with its HP-UX 11i v2 operating system.
The additional security features, which the Palo Alto, Calif., company will start making available to its customers Dec. 18, will include new encryption and hardening capabilities for its Integrity servers, which are powered by Intels 64-bit Itanium chip.
By offering the additional security features, HP is not only helping its Unix clients comply with security requirements, but is also looking to expand its Unix operating system within the enterprise data center space, said Alex Glushchenko, security product marketing manager for HP-UX.
By supplying the features for free, HP is offering a way for IT managers to lower costs while protecting security within the data center and meeting government regulations for security and compliance, Glushchenko said.
“We are executing on our long-term road map for the HP-UX operating system and extending mission-critical virtualization and enterprise-class security capabilities,” Glushchenko wrote in an e-mail to eWEEK.
The new features bundled on HP-UX 11i include an encryption volume and file system that protects data that has been transferred onto storage devices. This system will automatically encrypt data to prevent theft.
Another feature will enable users to harden security within the hardware itself. HP will now offer a security chip embedded within the server that will protect cryptographic keys and lessen the reliance on software-only security.
Within the IT industry, more and more companies are seeking out this type of hardware-based solution as a safer alternative to software-only offerings. This type of solution not only assists in security but helps in other areas, such as virtualization.
By offering this type of hardened security, HP can help eliminate internal and external threats, said Ron Luman, a security architect for HP-UX.
“Even privileged users who can have access to certain applications would not be able to retrieve or look at sensitive data,” Luman said.
Finally, HP is offering new containment technology, which will allow users to isolate data within a compartment and allow IT managers to set up user privileges and role-based access in order to retrieve the data.
In the compliance area, HP is also offering updates of HP-UX Bastille, an open-source software security hardening tool that will offer assessment of a systems hardening configuration and compare that configuration with previous policies an enterprise has set.
HP is also making security enhancements to its HP-UX AAA server. The features will offer new auditing and compliance that will ease user authentication.