Debian contains support for shadow passwords since release 1.3. In addition, the Linux library of Pluggable Authentication Modules (a.k.a. ;) that allows sysadmins to choose authorization modes on an application-specific basis is available, and initially set to authenticate via shadow password.

Including full support for advanced authentication methods such as Kerberos, RSBAC and others is in progress. Extended support for non-English users

Debian already has some support for non-English users, see .

We hope to find people who will provide support for even more languages, and translate. Some programs already support internationalization, so we need message catalogs translators. Many programs still remaint to be properly internationalized.

The GNU Translation Project works on internationalizing the GNU programs. More architectures

Complete Debian system on other architectures such as SPARC64 or SuperH is expected soon. More kernels

In addition to Debian GNU/Hurd, Debian is being ported to several BSD kernels, namely those from NetBSD, FreeBSD and OpenBSD.