This month marks 10 years since the pfSense® 1.0 Open Source firewall and router software distribution hit the Internet. With that release, one of the most successful open-source projects was born. Over the last 10 years, pfSense software has amassed a following and installed base of nearly 400,000. This is an amazing accomplishment by an open source project and it would not have been possible without the interest, engagement, and support of the entire pfSense community. This community includes the contributions of many developers, the support and funding by the host company Netgate, our customers, and the innumerable contributions by those who assist others on the forum or on IRC, have filed bug reports and followed up to test the relevant fixes, tested beta builds and release candidates, created or edited documentation, or written articles on how they use pfSense software. We are humbled by the interest, enthusiasm and trust that so many have for pfSense. For all of this and more, we thank you!
Though pfSense release 1.0 didn’t officially occur until October 2006, the project started in 2004 as a fork of the m0n0wall project,. Through the years it has grown to include numerous packages that help users block IP addresses, detect and prevent intrusions, implement proxy caching and filter URLs, monitor network traffic, implement virtual private networks, and more. There are still exciting things ahead for the pfSense project. We are very excited for what the future holds, the advancements, and the opportunity for more community involvement as we all drive network security and connectivity forward.
If you are currently using pfSense software, thank you! You are helping to keep this project relevant and fresh. Installs of pfSense firewall and router software run the gamut from home use all the way up to the enterprise. Today, pfSense is being used in almost every kind of environment worldwide, from providing better security to home networks, to protecting and connecting business networks and even helping governments stay secure.
Thank you for your participation, your input, your resources, and your community sharing. As we celebrate the first decade of the pfSense project, we look forward to ten more years!