diff --git a/FAQ b/FAQ index fae0b855bf82d847ef64da709422d01909c4fca2..ec7a22242acbe0c1bd648c7f73e6df1ca3f65e02 100644 --- a/FAQ +++ b/FAQ @@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ OpenSSL - Frequently Asked Questions * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Alpha Tru64 Unix? * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail with "ar: command not found"? * Why does the OpenSSL compilation fail on Win32 with VC++? +* What is special about OpenSSL on Redhat? [PROG] Questions about programming with OpenSSL @@ -463,6 +464,41 @@ under 'Program Files'). This needs to be done prior to running NMAKE, and the changes are only valid for the current DOS session. +* What is special about OpenSSL on Redhat? + +Red Hat Linux 7.0 and following versions already have a limited version of +openssl already installed. This may well apply to other Linux distributions +also. This version does not have support for the IDEA, RC5 and MDC-2 +algorithms as these are patented within the United States. For information +these patent numbers and expiry dates are: + +MDC-2: 4,908,861 13/03/2007 +IDEA: 5,214,703 25/05/2010 +RC5: 5,724,428 03/03/2015 + +However, Europeans and other non-Americans may wish to install all the +features. + +To do this you MUST ensure that you do not overwrite the openssl that is in +/usr/bin on your Red Hat machine. Several packages depend on this file, +including sendmail and ssh. /usr/local/bin is a good alternative choice. The +libraries that come with Red Hat 7.0 onwards have different names and so are +not affected. (eg For Red Hat 7.2 they are /lib/libssl.so.0.9.6b and +/lib/libcrypto.so.0.9.6b with symlinks /lib/libssl.so.2 and +/lib/libcrypto.so.2 respectively). + +Please note that we have been advised by Red Hat attempting to recompile the +openssl rpm with all the cryptography enabled will not work. All other +packages depend on the original Red Hat supplied openssl package. It is also +worth noting that due to the way Red Hat supplies its packages, updates to +openssl on each distribution never change the package version, only the +build number. For example, on Red Hat 7.1, the latest openssl package has +version number 0.9.6 and build number 9 even though it contains all the +relevant updates in packages up to and including 0.9.6b. + +A possible way around this is to persuade Red Hat to produce a non-US +version of Red Hat Linux. + [PROG] ======================================================================== * Is OpenSSL thread-safe?