Phil Zimmermann's PGP is back in the hands of an independent company, after Network Associates agreed to sell the technology it mothballed back in March to a start-up specially created to market PGP.

Jon Callas, the former PGP chief scientist, becomes the CTO of the new company, PGP Corporation. Will Price, former Director of Engineering at NAI, becomes VP of engineering.

The good news is that the Windows XP and Mac OS X versions of version 8.0 of the excellent PGP Desktop, which were ready when Network Associates canned the division, will now ship in the fourth quarter, according to a company statement.

The existing Windows and Mac OS products will be available through the online company store, which appears to be having teething difficulties right now.

"We raised $14 million in this challenging economic climate from two top venture capital firms because they believe in the marketplace and in our ability to provide innovative solutions for our present and future customers. We are dedicated to making PGP products so simple they will be used everywhere," said new CEO Phillip Dunkelberger in a statement.

Cryptographers will be celebrating the good news in traditional fashion - by firing their guns into the air. ®

Related Links

The all-new PGP Corporation
Europeans can buy it here

Related Stories

Zimmermann calls for NAI to free PGP
PGP dies of neglect - your alternatives
How we can save PGP - Zimmermann
PGP deep-freezed - NAI shrugs