Some industries have certification requirements for both hardware and software. Recently, some users have been asking:What certifications has the FreeRTOS operating system obtained?There are about six or seven relatively popular and general-purpose RTOS on the market, such as:FreeRTOS, µCOS,RT-Thread, ThreadX, Zephyr, NuttX, and other real-time operating systems.Among these popular RTOS, FreeRTOS has relatively few certifications, but it definitely has the largest user base. Previously, a simple poll was conducted to gather information on the commonly used RTOS among fans:
Due to its large user base, FreeRTOS has been gradually “improving” over the years. For example, last year it obtained SESIP Level 3 certification.
What is the significance of RTOS certification?
Those who have undergone certification should understand the benefits of certification. Whether for hardware or software, certification is required in many industries.In simple terms, when you create a product, the main goal is still to sell it. Some industries (or buyers) require your product to have various certifications; otherwise, business cannot be conducted.
Obtaining certification for FreeRTOS actually has many “invisible” benefits:
1. Enhancing security and credibility: SESIP Level 3 and PSA Level 1 certifications prove that FreeRTOS can withstand complex attacks and meet the stringent security requirements of IoT devices.
2. Expanding application scenarios: From consumer electronics to industrial control, FreeRTOS’s certifications cover multiple fields, supporting widespread deployment from low-security requirements to high-risk scenarios.
3. Promoting industry standards: As the first open-source RTOS to obtain SESIP Level 3, FreeRTOS sets a benchmark for IoT security, promoting the overall improvement of industry security levels.
4. Reducing development costs: Pre-certified components can simplify developers’ security compliance processes and accelerate time to market.
What certifications has FreeRTOS obtained?
FreeRTOS has not obtained many certifications. Here are several certifications compiled from the official website and online sources:
1. PSA (Platform Security Architecture) Certification
PSA Level 1 Certification: PSA was proposed by ARM to provide a unified security framework for IoT devices. PSA Level 1 certification indicates that FreeRTOS:
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Meets basic security requirements: such as secure boot, secure storage, and secure updates.
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Supports security isolation: Achieves isolation between secure and non-secure areas through technologies like TrustZone.
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Passed ARM’s official review: Verifying that its architecture design and implementation comply with PSA specifications.
2. SESIP (IoT Platform Security Evaluation Standard) Certification
SESIP Level 2 Certification: Focuses on evaluating the security functions of the Target of Evaluation (TOE), with a limited testing scope, serving as a foundational stage for SESIP Level 3.
SESIP Level 3 Certification (obtained in 2024): SESIP is the authoritative standard for IoT platform security evaluation, divided into levels 1 to 5, with higher levels having stricter security requirements.
SESIP Level 3 requirements:
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Comprehensive source code analysis: Evaluators must conduct an in-depth review of code logic to identify potential vulnerabilities.
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Vulnerability analysis: Simulating attacks through white-box testing (transparent testing) to verify the system’s resistance to attacks.
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Development environment control: Requires detailed evidence of a secure development environment to ensure compliance with development processes.
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Configuration management automation: Managing code configurations through automated tools to ensure system integrity.
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Resistance to attack upgrades: Evaluating resistance to “Enhanced-Basic” level attacks, which are more complex than SESIP Level 2’s “Basic” attacks.
Certified components: Include FreeRTOS kernel (V10.6.1), FreeRTOS+TCP (V3.1.0), corePKCS (V3.5.0), OTA updates (V3.4.0), and Mbed TLS, covering core functionalities and security extensions.
3. Other related certifications
AWS FreeRTOS Device Certification Program: Validates the compatibility and security of microcontroller-based development boards with AWS IoT services, ensuring devices can meet the testing requirements of AWS IoT Core.
IEC 61508 SIL 3 and ISO 26262 ASIL D (derived from SafeRTOS): SafeRTOS is a safety-critical RTOS restructured from FreeRTOS, certified by IEC 61508 SIL 3 (industrial safety) and ISO 26262 ASIL D (automotive functional safety), suitable for high-risk fields such as medical and automotive.
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Author: strongerHuang
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