C2Net
Encyclopedia
C2Net was an Internet
cryptography
company founded by Sameer Parekh
, which was sold to Red Hat
in 2000. It was best known for its Stronghold secure webserver software.
C2Net started out as Community ConneXion, an Internet Privacy Provider (sort of like an Internet Service Provider
) providing customers with anonymous Internet services, from dialup access to email accounts. Community ConneXion implemented the first double-blind anonymous mail forwarding service (aka nym server), as well as was the company that commercialized the Anonymizer
before selling it to Lance Cottrell's Anonymizer, Inc..
After seeing a demand for an Apache
-based SSL-capable web server, Sameer Parekh developed the first version of Stronghold by plugging together Apache
with SSLeay, Apache-SSL, and a commercially-licensed RSAref. The product was wildly successful but the company was unwilling to compromise security to get an export license for its products. Thus C2Net purchased UKWeb, an Apache-consultancy in Leeds
, which independently reengineered the Stronghold product (without RSAref) for the international market. This made C2Net the first American company to be capable of providing strong encryption solutions to a worldwide market.
Eventually C2Net hired the SSLeay developers Eric Young and Tim Hudson in Brisbane, Australia to develop more encryption products. C2Net's relationship with RSA Data Security, Inc. was rocky because C2Net was using the leaked version of their trade-secret encryption algorithim RC4
, rather than a version licensed from them directly. It was in fact this leaked version of RC4 that made it possible to develop a full-strength version of Stronghold outside the United States. Eventually C2Net and RSA Data Security, Inc. resolved their differences, and C2Net purchased a patent license for RSA and a license to use the trade-secret RC4 within the United States. During merger negotiations between RSA and C2Net, RSA hired C2Net's Australian team and set up their own overseas development effort in Australia in order to produce the BSAFE-SSL product for worldwide sales. Other companies began to emulate this development strategy and the United States government finally realized that the export controls were no longer effective and effectively eliminated them.
After losing the Australian office, C2Net focused primarily on selling and supporting Stronghold and hired a new CEO, Bill Rowzee. He brought the company back to profitability, and as the RSA patent was due to expire in 2000, they shifted the company's strategy to focus primarily on support. Finally, they sold the company to Red Hat in 2000.
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
cryptography
Cryptography
Cryptography is the practice and study of techniques for secure communication in the presence of third parties...
company founded by Sameer Parekh
Sameer Parekh
Sameer Parekh is best known for being the founder of C2Net Software, Inc.While in high school in Libertyville, Illinois, he published an underground newspaper called The Free Journal, promoting free speech and other libertarian ideas....
, which was sold to Red Hat
Red Hat
Red Hat, Inc. is an S&P 500 company in the free and open source software sector, and a major Linux distribution vendor. Founded in 1993, Red Hat has its corporate headquarters in Raleigh, North Carolina with satellite offices worldwide....
in 2000. It was best known for its Stronghold secure webserver software.
C2Net started out as Community ConneXion, an Internet Privacy Provider (sort of like an Internet Service Provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
) providing customers with anonymous Internet services, from dialup access to email accounts. Community ConneXion implemented the first double-blind anonymous mail forwarding service (aka nym server), as well as was the company that commercialized the Anonymizer
Anonymizer
An anonymizer or an anonymous proxy is a tool that attempts to make activity on the Internet untraceable.It is a proxy server computer that acts as an intermediary and privacy shield between a client computer and the rest of the Internet...
before selling it to Lance Cottrell's Anonymizer, Inc..
After seeing a demand for an Apache
Apache HTTP Server
The Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache , is web server software notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web. In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone...
-based SSL-capable web server, Sameer Parekh developed the first version of Stronghold by plugging together Apache
Apache HTTP Server
The Apache HTTP Server, commonly referred to as Apache , is web server software notable for playing a key role in the initial growth of the World Wide Web. In 2009 it became the first web server software to surpass the 100 million website milestone...
with SSLeay, Apache-SSL, and a commercially-licensed RSAref. The product was wildly successful but the company was unwilling to compromise security to get an export license for its products. Thus C2Net purchased UKWeb, an Apache-consultancy in Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, which independently reengineered the Stronghold product (without RSAref) for the international market. This made C2Net the first American company to be capable of providing strong encryption solutions to a worldwide market.
Eventually C2Net hired the SSLeay developers Eric Young and Tim Hudson in Brisbane, Australia to develop more encryption products. C2Net's relationship with RSA Data Security, Inc. was rocky because C2Net was using the leaked version of their trade-secret encryption algorithim RC4
RC4
In cryptography, RC4 is the most widely used software stream cipher and is used in popular protocols such as Secure Sockets Layer and WEP...
, rather than a version licensed from them directly. It was in fact this leaked version of RC4 that made it possible to develop a full-strength version of Stronghold outside the United States. Eventually C2Net and RSA Data Security, Inc. resolved their differences, and C2Net purchased a patent license for RSA and a license to use the trade-secret RC4 within the United States. During merger negotiations between RSA and C2Net, RSA hired C2Net's Australian team and set up their own overseas development effort in Australia in order to produce the BSAFE-SSL product for worldwide sales. Other companies began to emulate this development strategy and the United States government finally realized that the export controls were no longer effective and effectively eliminated them.
After losing the Australian office, C2Net focused primarily on selling and supporting Stronghold and hired a new CEO, Bill Rowzee. He brought the company back to profitability, and as the RSA patent was due to expire in 2000, they shifted the company's strategy to focus primarily on support. Finally, they sold the company to Red Hat in 2000.