Great news! I am sure you know about the security mechanisms built into your browser, right? The little padlock. This mechanism, and many others, are using an algorithm that is patented by RSA Security. The patent would expire in two weeks, but RSA decided to release the algorithm into the public domain, two weeks before the expiration. From their web site:

“RSA SecurityÂ’s commercialization of the RSA patent helped create an entire industry of highly secure, interoperable products that are the foundation of the worldwide online economy. Releasing the RSA algorithm into the public domain now is a symbolic next step in the evolution of this market, as we believe it will cement the position of RSA encryption as the standard in all categories of wired and wireless applications and devices.”