“FreeS/WAN, or Free Secure WAN, is a project started 4 years
ago by John Gilmore, an open source software programmer. The
original goal of the project was to encrypt 5% of all Internet
traffic by distributing and installing low-cost encryption devices
in businesses and homes running Linux and FreeS/WAN software on old
PC equipment. While this ambitious goal was not met, the
project did result in a handy tool for cheaply building a VPN using
Linux and commodity PC hardware and network components.”
“FreeS/WAN and Linux can be used to set up a secure, encrypted
VPN tunnel connection between two networks over the Internet.
According to Gilmore’s site, users can secure their networks with a
PC running Linux, FreeS/WAN software and two Ethernet Cards. This
encryption box would sit between a company’s LAN and firewall and
encrypt incoming and outgoing traffic sent over a WAN.”
“Linux boxes running FreeS/WAN support IP Security encryption, a
security protocol that is standard in most VPN hardware and
software and will be a part of IPv6, the forthcoming upgrade to the
Internet’s fundamental communications protocol. For secure
authentication between data senders and recipients, the software
includes Internet Key Exchange and Diffie-Hellman protocol, two
widely used security key protocols.”