HiT Software Debuts Point-to-Point SSL Middleware

by Alex Woodie

OS/400 shops looking to clamp down on their servers' TCP/IP vulnerabilities may want to check out HiT Software's latest utility, called SafeConduct. With SSL 3.0 authentication and 128-bit encryption, SafeConduct installs on Windows or Java computers and can be used to protect any type of TCP/IP service, including TN5250 emulation sessions, FTP transfers, and ODBC connections, without modifying existing programs.

HiT Software, which is located in San Jose, California, is probably best known for its line of SQL optimization middleware software. The company sells middleware that supports IBM's DB2 database, including software designed specifically for DB2/400. HiT also sells a product called SSL Server, which provides SSL security capabilities for these SQL middleware products.

With SafeConduct, HiT is branching outside of its database middleware realm and into security proper. Whereas SSL Server requires one of its ODBC, JDBC, OLEDB, or Ritmo database products, SafeConduct will provide SSL security for any application that uses point-to-point TCP/IP communication.

The SafeConduct product line includes a Java-based server component and two client components: one developed for Windows PCs, and one developed in Java for all Java-supported platforms. HiT Software only charges for the server component; the client components are free, but require a SafeConduct Server to operate.

SafeConduct secures communications by preventing unauthorized machines from accessing applications at a preconfigured port addresses, and by using encryption to make data transmitted over TCP/IP unintelligible to snoopers. Here's how it works: Once either side of the application pair (the SafeConduct Server or the client) attempts to send data, the SafeConduct software authenticates the two machines, negotiates the encryption keys, and then transmits secured user ID and password data between the two nodes. Once the connection has been secured, SafeConduct allows data to flow between the two nodes.

HiT says SafeConduct does not interfere or alter the underlying applications in any way, and can be used with a variety of application architectures, including client-server, host-slave, and multi-tier applications. Because the software is Java-based, it supports a variety of platforms, including OS/400, zOS, AIX, Linux, Solaris, Windows, Mac OSX, and OS/2. It could be used with e-mail, ODBC and JDBC connections, FTP, Telnet emulation sessions, and remote monitoring applications, HiT says.

The SafeConduct Server and the Java client require the Java runtime environment version 1.3. Since SSL workloads can be processor intensive, HiT supports installing the SafeConduct server on a proxy machine, to offload work from the primary application server. The SafeConduct Server can also be administered remotely.

Pricing for the SafeConduct Server is based on the number of concurrent connections. For $1,495, users get a license for SafeConduct Server and 5 concurrent users. For more information, go to www.hitsoftware.com.

Sponsored By RJS SOFTWARE SYSTEMS

Implement Document Imaging on your iSeries-AS/400 in 30 minutes or less Image Server/400 is a Web browser-based document image management system for the iSeries. Documents can be quickly scanned and stored in IFS folders, and then located and retrieved for viewing via any Web browser. Integrate with other iSeries-AS/400 applications. Call us at 888-RJS-SOFT or download a FREE fully functional demo from our Web site at www.rjssoftware.com