The Linux Foundation has announced plans to host the seL4 Foundation, a nonprofit organization designed to provide support for the seL4 microkernel.
The seL4 microkernel is an operating system kernel focused on the security, safety and reliability of real-world critical computer systems. The goals of the foundation have been to provide longevity for seL4, grow and integrate the ecosystem, protect and promote the brand and provide a platform for funding ongoing development.
“seL4 is a game-changer for safety- or security-critical systems. Being an OS microkernel, seL4 is at the bottom of any software stack. To use it properly and to achieve the strong security properties enabled by seL4, the system must be engineered for seL4. This may require a long-term commitment, requiring significant resources. You therefore want to make sure seL4 stays around, is well-supported, and continues to provide those guarantees,” the foundation wrote on its website.
The Linux Foundation will provide a “global, independent and neutral organization for funding and steering the future evolution of seL4.”
“The Linux Foundation will support the seL4 Foundation and community by providing expertise and services to increase community engagement, contributors and adopters, helping to take the OS ecosystem to the next level,” said Michael Dolan, VP of strategic programs, the Linux Foundation. “The open governance and standards-based model will provide a neutral, mature and trustworthy framework to help advance an operating system that is readily deployable and optimized for security.”
According to the seL4 Foundation, it is vital that embedded computing systems provide trustworthiness and security measures to safeguard from threats. The biggest barriers to growing the seL4 ecosystem has been a lack of system components and tools such as broad-support packages, device drivers, file systems, network stacks, programming environments and configuration and development tools.
“We think that the way to address this is having a forum where the community, including developers, adopters, and researchers can meet and engage. The seL4 Foundation as an open and neutral entity, where the broader community is represented, and strategy is discussed openly, seems the right way to do this,” the foundation wrote.
More information is available here.
