openvpn/COPYING

OpenVPN (TM) -- An Open Source VPN daemon

Copyright (C) 2002-2026 OpenVPN Inc <sales@openvpn.net>

This distribution contains multiple components, some
of which fall under different licenses.  By using OpenVPN
or any of the bundled components enumerated below, you
agree to be bound by the conditions of the license for
each respective component.

OpenVPN trademark
-----------------

  "OpenVPN" is a trademark of OpenVPN Inc


OpenVPN license:
----------------

  OpenVPN is distributed under the GPL license version 2.

  Special exception for linking OpenVPN with OpenSSL:

  In addition, as a special exception, OpenVPN Inc gives
  permission to link the code of this program with the OpenSSL
  library (or with modified versions of OpenSSL that use the same
  license as OpenSSL), and distribute linked combinations including
  the two.  You must obey the GNU General Public License in all
  respects for all of the code used other than OpenSSL.  If you modify
  this file, you may extend this exception to your version of the
  file, but you are not obligated to do so.  If you do not wish to
  do so, delete this exception statement from your version.

Apache2 linking exception:
---------------------------
  In addition, as a special exception, OpenVPN Inc and the
  contributors give permission to link the code of this program to
  libraries (the "Libraries") licensed under the Apache License
  version 2.0 (this work and any linked library the "Combined Work")
  and copy and distribute the Combined Work without an obligation to
  license the Libraries under the GNU General Public License v2
  (GPL-2.0) as required by Section 2 of the GPL-2.0, and without an
  obligation to refrain from imposing any additional restrictions in
  the Apache License version 2 that are not in the GPL-2.0, as
  required by Section 6 of the GPL-2.0.  You must comply with the
  GPL-2.0 in all other respects for the Combined Work, including
  the obligation to provide source code.  If you modify this file, you
  may extend this exception to your version of the file, but you are
  not obligated to do so.  If you do not wish to do so, delete this
  exception statement from your version.

For better understanding, in plain non-legalese English this basically says:

 * The intention for this license exception is to allow OpenVPN to be
   linked against APL-2 licensed libraries, even where the GPL-2.0 and
   APL-2 licenses conflict from a legal perspective.

 * OpenVPN itself will stay GPL-2.0 and the code belonging to the
   OpenVPN project must comply to the GPL-2.0 license.  This is NOT
   dual-licensing of the OpenVPN code base.

 * This license exception DOES NOT require NOR expect a license change
   of the APL-2 based library.  This exception allows using the APL-2
   library as-is.  However, when distributing a compiled OpenVPN binary
   linking against APL-2 libraries ("Combined Work"), the REQUIREMENT is
   that the APL-2 library MUST also be available on similar terms as in
   GPL-2.0, like providing the source code of the library upon request,
   except in the two specific ways mentioned.

 * If the APL-2 based library forbids such linking and distribution,
   this license exception DOES NOT overrule the restriction of the APL-2
   based library.  If the APL-2 library cannot satisfy the requirements
   in this license exception, you CANNOT distribute an OpenVPN binary
   linked with this library.

LZO linking exception:
----------------------

  LZO is Copyright (C) Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer,
  and is licensed under the GPL.

  Special exception for linking OpenVPN with both OpenSSL and LZO:

  Hereby I grant a special exception to the OpenVPN project
  (https://openvpn.net/) to link the LZO library with
  the OpenSSL library (https://www.openssl.org).

  Markus F.X.J. Oberhumer