Your company makes a hardware firewall that runs a custom Linux kernel. What are your obligations under GPLv2?

If your company makes a hardware firewall that runs a custom Linux kernel, which is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 (GPLv2), here are your obligations under this license:

1. You must make the source to your kernel available: This is correct. GPLv2 requires that if you distribute a modified version of software that is under GPLv2, you must also distribute the source code or make it available to the users of the hardware. This means you need to provide the modifications you’ve made to the Linux kernel source code to anyone who receives the device, either directly or via a written offer.
2. There are no requirements: This is incorrect. The GPLv2 has specific requirements for distribution, especially regarding the availability of modified source code.
3. You must make your hardware designs available: This is incorrect. The GPLv2 does not cover hardware designs; it only applies to the software that is licensed under it, such as the Linux kernel in this scenario.
4. You must make the source to your custom web interface available: This depends on how the web interface interacts with the GPLv2-covered Linux kernel. If the web interface is a separate entity that communicates with the kernel in a way that does not constitute a derivative work (such as through command-line tools, system calls, or network sockets), then it might not need to be released under GPLv2. However, if it is tightly integrated (e.g., includes GPL-covered code or links statically with GPL libraries), then it would be subject to GPLv2 requirements.
5. You must ensure your custom kernel runs on a regular Intel machine: This is incorrect. The GPLv2 does not impose any requirements about the platforms on which the software must run. It focuses on the availability of source code and the freedom to modify and redistribute the software.

The primary obligation under GPLv2 for your scenario is to ensure that the source code of the modified Linux kernel is made available to the users of the hardware firewall. This aligns with the GPL’s goal of ensuring freedom to modify and redistribute licensed software.