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Apr 09

New Initiative Seeks to Establish Open Source Software Best Practices Standard

By Blog, Industry Partners, Linux Foundation, News

In an era of rapid digital transformation, open source software has become the backbone of technological innovation across industries. The Linux Foundation Europe is proud to partner with Enabling Linux in Safety Applications (ELISA) Project to support an initiative, aimed at addressing a critical challenge in the software ecosystem. As the demand for open source software into regulated and safety-critical systems increases (e.g. in aerospace, automotive, and medical industries), the need for a robust, standardized approach to evaluate its quality and security has never been more urgent. This initiative promises to reshape how we assess and integrate open source software into mission-critical environments. Learn more in this blog article authored by Philipp Ahmann (ETAS GmbH) and Gabriele Paoloni (Red Hat).

An innovative new project is underway to establish a standardized approach for evaluating the quality and security of open source software (OSS). The increasing reliance on OSS in regulated and standards-driven sectors (like aerospace, automotive, and medical industries ) necessitates a robust framework for determining OSS trustworthiness. This project aims towards just this.

Current quality standards are often inadequate to the unique development processes of OSS, creating a significant barrier to the adoption of OSS in regulated industries.

This initiative will address this gap by:

  1. analyzing existing OSS development practices
  2. identifying key performance indicators (KPIs), and
  3. creating a framework to evaluate how well OSS projects align in front of the objectives safety & security standards as well as regulations.

The evaluation will be based on the project’s (open source) development practices.  Such a framework will be crucial for both quality management demanded by safety standards and the growing requests on software quality of cyber-resilience regulations (such as the Cybersecurity Resilience Act – CRA). The resulting standard will also support initiatives aimed at increasing the security and reliability of open-source operating systems.

Your Input is Crucial

To ensure this project accurately reflects the needs and realities of the OSS community, and the demands of regulated industries, we invite you to participate in a short survey. Your feedback will directly influence the development of this vital new standard. The survey will cover various aspects of OSS development, focusing on both safety and security, aiming to identify best practices and establish measurable KPIs. The deadline to submit your feedback is May 31, 2025.

About the Project:

The goal of this project is to evaluate and document established open source development best practices and to provide an assessment guide for the user to rate the quality of open source projects. This increases trust in open source software for the adoption in regulated industries, e.g. for safety critical systems.

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This shall be achieved via 3 project phases:

  • Phase 1: Analyzing existing literature, OSS projects, and relevant standards, including emerging cyber-resilience frameworks.
  • Phase 2: Defining a framework of OSS good practices and KPIs for both safety and security.
  • Phase 3: Testing and refining the framework through pilot projects.

The project welcomes collaboration with academia, public sector organizations, OSS communities, foundations, and industry leaders across various sectors. By working together, we can create a quality standard that provides means to demonstrate the technical and process capabilities of OSS projects, enabling their adoption within a company-specific development framework for safety-critical and cyber-resilient systems, thereby paving the way for innovation while upholding the highest levels of safety and security.

SUPPORTING QUOTES:

While e.g. the European Commission and Japanese government are right starting to champion open source for software-defined vehicles (SDVs), a clear path to integrating OSS with existing automotive standards is crucial for realizing its full potential. ETAS  is committed to bridging this gap, ensuring that open source initiatives drive innovation without compromising safety, reliability, or established industry practices. We believe this approach is essential for fostering true digital sovereignty and competitiveness within the automotive sector. – Philipp Ahmann, Sr. OSS Community Manager at ETAS GmbH

As indicated above, there is an increasing usage of OSS in regulated and standards-driven sectors. Setting up a convergence between the OSS quality and security processes with regulations and standards definitions becomes a must and this activity needs to take place on both sides of the equation to find an agreement. The project initiative described here would be the OSS part, matching the regulatory part also started in the different sectors, like the new revision of the ISO-26262 with the introduction of the ISO/PAS 8926 for the Automotive sector, and the EUROCAE WG-117 SG-2 related to “COTS, Open Source and Service History” for the Avionics sector. – Olivier Charrier, Principal Technologist – Functional Safety at Wind River Systems

With open source as the basis for every commercial product offering, Red Hat is invested in the quality and security of related open source software. This investment is substantiated by all Red Hat customers’ success stories, including but not limited to, deployments of Red Hat products into mission critical systems (such as finance, defense, telco and space industries). For this reason Red Hat fully supports this project and is looking forward to having an innovative and suitable approach to rate open source software quality; thus aiming to accelerate and simplify OSS evaluation for use in mission-critical systems or regulated industries. – Gabriele Paoloni, Sr PE | Open Source Community Technical Leader at Red Hat

Mar 26

F Prime and Linux

By Blog, Space Grade Linux, Working Group

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Michael Starch, Flight Software Engineer at NASA, gave a presentation, “F Prime and Linux.”

 

Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

 

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory. Or, learn more about the next ELISA Workshop, happening in Lund, Sweden on May 7-9. Register here.

Additional Resources:

Mar 19

Containerization in Space Podman for Mission Critical Operations and Resilience (Video)

By Blog, Space Grade Linux, Workshop

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Dan Walsh, Senior Distinguished Engineer, and Douglas Schilling Landgraf, Senior Software Engineer, at Red Hat, gave a presentation, “Containerization in Space Podman for Mission Critical Operations and Resilience.”

 

Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

 

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

Mar 12

Space Grade Linux Survey Results

By Blog, Space Grade Linux

The Space Grade Linux Special Interest Group addresses the challenges of space, which often includes a long lifespan for robotic or human-based missions. From development to deployment there are multiple considerations that need to be considered. Hosted under the ELISA Project, the new SIG is a step towards creating an ecosystem of supported platforms and a collaborative community.  Kate Stewart, Vice President of Dependable Embedded Systems, and Ramon Roche, General Manager of Dronecode Foundation, at the Linux Foundation presented survey results in the last ELISA Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10-12, 2024.  The survey showcased feedback about Linux in Space with the target of recruiting more members.

 

Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

Mar 05

ELISA Project Achievements and Updates

By Blog, Working Group

Written by Gabriele Paoloni, ELISA Project Governing Board Chair, and Philipp Ahmann, ELISA Project TSC Chair

The ELISA community held its annual project updates virtually on February 12 – 13, 2025, bringing together members and newcomers. Working group leaders shared their 2024 accomplishments, challenges, and collaborative opportunities for 2025. All videos can be found on the ELISA Project Youtube Channel in the Annual Update Playlist.

2024: A Year of Significant Progress

There was substantial progress for ELISA including: 

  • The Aerospace Working Group significantly advanced the adoption of Linux in safety-critical aerospace applications, presenting successful sessions at the Linux Plumbers Conference that led to the formation of the Space Grade Linux initiative at a NASA-hosted ELISA workshop. 
  • Meanwhile, the System Working Group impressed at Embedded World with a demo of reproducible heterogeneous software composition. 
  • The Medical Device Working Group completed its STPA analysis for the Open APS use case and is now searching for a new project. 
  • The Tool Working Group released initial versions of several key tools (Basil, KS-Nav, llvm-cov, and DeltaKernel).
  • The Safety Architecture Working Group improved Linux Kernel documentation based on safety standards, presenting their findings at Linux Plumbers 2024 and subsequently developing a template for Linux Kernel Requirements. 
  • The Linux Features for Safety-Critical Systems working group completed investigations about the minimal Linux Kernel configuration and focused on the minimal set Kernel features required to support a safety application (the main goal being to figure out the Kernel subsystems and drivers to prioritize for safety activities).
  • The Open Source Engineering Process Working Group focused on best practices for safety-critical FOSS contributions, analyzing the factors that could impact the safety strategy associated with the use of Linux and finally it defined an approach for publishing peer-review material developed by the different working groups.

2025: Collaborative Goals and Technical Advancements

The ELISA Project 2025 vision centers on coordinating working groups towards shared technical and community goals including: 

  • The Automotive Working Group will define a use case and collaborate with the Eclipse SDV project. 
  • The Aerospace Working Group will partner with the Architecture Working Group on Kernel requirements for a Cabin Lighting use case.
  • The Architecture Working Group will upstream initial requirements and a management framework to the Linux Kernel, establishing a community baseline before collaborating on further requirements definition. 
  • The Linux Features for Safety-Critical Systems Working Group will define requirements and analyze key drivers and subsystems for safety applications. 
  • The Open Source Engineering Process Working Group will continue defining best methodologies, including developing processes for documentation review and publishing, and a supply chain responsibilities model. 
  • The Tool Working Group will experiment with its tools across software lifecycle phases. 
  • The System Working Group will launch the “Good Practices in Open Source” specification/standard and extend its development platform to new ARM-based hardware. Collaboration with the Kernel-CI project will also allow for the evaluation of existing Kernel tests and their mapping to Kernel specifications and requirements.

Looking Ahead and Invitation to Participate

The achievements of 2024 provide a strong foundation for the ambitious goals set for 2025. We are excited about the collaborative opportunities ahead and the potential impact of the work on the safety and reliability of open-source systems in critical sectors. We encourage anyone interested in contributing to these efforts to join the ELISA community. Your expertise and dedication can significantly advance our progress toward a safer and more reliable open-source ecosystem. Visit https://elisa.tech/ to learn more and get involved.

Finally ELISA should also consider the evaluation of the currently available Kernel tests, in collaboration with the Kernel-CI project, and the respective mapping to the Kernel specifications and requirements.

ELISA Project Resources:

Feb 25

Building an OSS Ecosystem for Space (Video)

By Blog, Space Grade Linux, Workshop

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Tim Bird, Principal Software Engineer at Sony Electronics, gave a presentation, “Building an Open Source Software Ecosystem for Space.”

In this presentation, Tim presents real-time requirements for Linux in space operation. Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

Feb 19

Space ROS (Video)

By Blog, Workshop

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Ivan Perez, Principal Research Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, gave a presentation, “Space ROS.” In this presentation, he offered an overview of Space ROS, an open source framework for developing flight-quality robotic and autonomous space systems. Watch the video below or check out the presentation here.

 

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

Feb 13

ELISA Project and Linux Foundation Community Shine at FOSDEM 2025

By Ambassadors, Blog, Critical Software Summit, Industry Conference

Written by Ramon Roche, Dronecode Foundation General Manager and member of Space Grade Linux

Members and collaborators from the ELISA Project and the broader Linux Foundation community were excited to participate in FOSDEM 2025, joining thousands of open source enthusiasts in Brussels for a weekend dedicated to advancing open technology. For those who haven’t yet experienced FOSDEM, it’s difficult to put into words the vibrant, inclusive atmosphere of this registration-free event—it’s something you genuinely have to see and feel for yourself. Imagine developers buzzing between the historic buildings of the Université libre de Bruxelles, eagerly attending talks, sharing ideas, and forging connections over their shared passion for innovation. FOSDEM is more than just a conference; it’s a celebration of open-source collaboration and a testament to the power of community-driven technology.

“FOSDEM is more than just a conference—it’s a cornerstone of the open source world. From discovering new projects in various fields like open source scorecards and NGO-focused CRMs to engaging in critical discussions around the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act, FOSDEM offers unmatched opportunities for learning and collaboration. The hallway track, packed sessions, and the growing interest in AI and open hardware all underscore its role as a vital hub for innovation and community building. It’s where the open source ecosystem thrives, connects, and evolves.”

— Philipp Ahmann, Sr. OSS Community Manager at ETAS GmbH

Exhibits from Sponsors

One of the highlights of FOSDEM 2025 was the lively exhibit area, where attendees flocked to engage with some of the most influential projects and foundations in the open-source ecosystem. The halls were abuzz with energy, making it nearly impossible to walk through without getting swept up in the excitement! Zephyr RTOS had a standout presence among the many exhibits, drawing attention with its innovative real-time operating system solutions. Members of the ELISA community were also actively involved throughout the exhibits, connecting with attendees and sharing insights on safety-critical systems and open-source collaboration.

The FOSDEM community’s love for swag was on full display, with attendees proudly sporting T-shirts, stickers, and other goodies collected from various booths. A major crowd favorite was the Linux Foundation Europe booth, which attracted a steady stream of visitors with its impressive lineup of CNCF project merchandise and exclusive discounts on Linux Foundation training and certifications available only to FOSDEM attendees. The vibrant atmosphere and enthusiasm around the exhibits perfectly captured the spirit of innovation and community that defines FOSDEM.

 

 

Kate Stewart’s Zephyr Open Source Project Best Practices Over Time Presentation

Another highlight of FOSDEM 2025 was Kate Stewart’s talk titled Zephyr: Open Source Project Best Practices Over Time, where she shared insights into how Zephyr RTOS has evolved into a robust and widely adopted platform, now surpassing 100,000 commits in its main repository. Drawing on lessons from the Linux Kernel Community, she emphasized the importance of embedding best practices early on to ensure long-term sustainability and scalability. A key focus of her leadership has been security, which was integrated from the start rather than treated as an afterthought. With Zephyr advancing toward formal safety certification, Stewart’s vision continues to drive the project forward, solidifying its position as a trusted solution for embedded systems and safety-critical applications. Her meticulous attention to governance, security, and collaboration has been instrumental in taking Zephyr to new heights.

Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) devroom

The SBOM devroom at FOSDEM 2025 was a focal point for discussions on the growing importance of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) in ensuring transparency and security across the open-source ecosystem. A standout session was Luigi Pellecchia’s talk on BASIL, an innovative open-source tool designed to simplify the creation and maintenance of traceability matrices for safety-critical applications. Pellecchia demonstrated how BASIL leverages the Software Package Data Exchange (SPDX) standard to integrate quality-related work items into SBOMs, enhancing consistency and reliability across complex toolchains. His presentation highlighted the critical role of SBOMs in fostering trust and compliance, making it clear that tools like BASIL are essential for modern software development workflows. The devroom’s sessions collectively underscored the value of SBOMs in building secure and sustainable software supply chains.

Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom

The Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom at FOSDEM 2025 was a hub of innovation, bringing together a vibrant community of developers and enthusiasts to explore the latest in open-source technologies. The program was packed with engaging talks, covering everything from CubeSat communication systems and general-purpose humanoid robotics with dora-rs to dual A/B update solutions for embedded Linux. Standout sessions included Thibault Poncelet’s deep dive into automotive communication systems with Reverse Engineering CAN Communication and Building ECUs Using Elixir and the BEAM, and Florian Limberger’s exploration of Bluetooth Low Energy applications in Developing BLE Host Applications with Zephyr. Attendees also got a closer look at the integration of MicroPython in embedded systems and enjoyed a lively update on the Zephyr RTOS during its dedicated roasting party. With a full house for nearly every session, the devroom highlighted the rapid advancements in embedded technologies and the critical role of open-source collaboration in shaping the future of the industry.

“FOSDEM is one of the most important open-source gatherings in the world, and this year was no exception,” said Walt Miner, AGL Community Manager at the Linux Foundation, devroom co-chair.  “I came to host the Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom, as well as the Automotive BoF, but it’s also the best place to connect with a wide variety of experts across countless projects. What makes FOSDEM so special is its diversity—it’s not tied to a single project or technology, and every year brings new devrooms and discoveries. This year, I was excited to learn more about OpenPilot and meet some of the people using it.”

Miner continued, “In the Embedded, Mobile, and Automotive devroom, Zephyr was a recurring theme, with so many great talks that we could easily justify a dedicated Zephyr devroom next year. The devroom was a huge success—our 210-seat room was packed for every session, and we had three times more talk submissions than we could accommodate. It’s inspiring to see such enthusiasm and expertise in the community, and I’m already looking forward to next year!”

“Expect the unexpected. At FOSDEM, you have the opportunity to see new topics and trends.”

– Jan-Simon Moeller

Featured Talks you should check out:

BASIL an open source tool that supports requirements traceability with design sBOM

Zephyr: Open Source Project Best Practices Over Time

Feb 05

Test and Assurance of Non-Volatile Memory Devices for Space (Video)

By Blog, Space Grade Linux

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speaker Ted Wilcox, Radiation Effects Engineer at NASA, gave a presentation, “Test and Assurance of Non-Volatile Memory Devices for Space.”

In this presentation, Ted shard recent results from non-volatile memory device testing will be presented, along with assurance guidance, recommendations, and lessons learned that may provide context for the Space Grade Linux community.

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

 

Jan 29

Linux Kernel Design Documentation (Video)

By Blog, Workshop

Kernel design documentation is not just an administrative task—it is essential for ensuring reliability, safety, and compliance in mission-critical systems. It serves as a foundation for certification, debugging, maintenance, and future improvements, ultimately reducing risk and increasing system dependability.

In the last ELISA Project Workshop, hosted at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, from December 10 to 12, 2024, speakers Gabriele Paoloni, Sr Principal Engineer and Open Source Community Technical Leader at Red Hat; Chuck Wolber and Kate Stewart, Vice President of Dependable Embedded Systems at the Linux Foundation, gave a presentation, “Linux Kernel Design Documentation.”

The goals for this session were to:
A) Share the latest findings and ideas from the Safety Architecture WG towards the high level next steps discussed at Linux Plumbers Conference
B) Create more detailed next steps and respective forums

View the video below:

The ELISA Workshop, which had than 30 in-person and 40 virtual attendees, brought together experts from various organizations in person and virtual, including ELISA Project member companies such as Red Hat, and Bosch, as well as representatives from NASA, Wind River, TelePIX, the Linux Foundation and more. This diverse group of professionals engaged in discussions and presentations on advancing Linux systems for space-grade applications.

Check out the ELISA Workshop @ NASA Youtube playlist to watch other videos or access the materials on the ELISA Project’s directory.

Additional Resources:

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