============================================== Genode Labs Newsletter - August/September 2012 ============================================== Content 1. Genode OS Framework 12.08 released 2. Upcoming support for ARM TrustZone technology 3. Going social on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook 1. Genode OS Framework 12.08 released ------------------------------------- With the version 12.08 of the Genode OS Framework that we released end of August, we put emphasis on extending the range of supported base platforms. The released version features a brand new custom solution for executing the framework directly on ARM-based platforms without the need for an underlying kernel. With this variant of the framework, the typical functions of the kernel are integrated with Genode's core. This novel design helps to eliminate redundant functionality and data structure between the kernel and Genode's core and thereby drastically reduces the complexity of the base part of the system. The second major platform advancement is the largely reworked support for the NOVA microhypervisor, enabling the 64-bit x86 architecture, adding object integrity protection, facilitating the use of process-local names, and changing the way of how kernel resources are allocated. These changes combined promote NOVA to a first-class citizen among the supported kernels. Besides low-level platform improvements, the current release comes with new functionality in the form of new device drivers for the Texas Instruments OMAP4 SoC, custom components and ported 3rd-party software. Among the additions are a FFAT-based file system service, the principal ability for on-target debugging, and a way to host the genode.org website on Genode. Those and many more improvements are thoroughly documented by the release notes of version 12.08: http://genode.org/documentation/release-notes/12.08 2. Upcoming support for ARM TrustZone technology ------------------------------------------------ Even though the ARM security extensions called TrustZone have been around for a while without being largely recognized in commodity products, this technology seems to receive growing attention lately. This prompted us to take a closer look. TrustZone provides hardware mechanisms for dividing the device into two trust domains. The so-called secure side is supposed to contain critical security functions whereby the untrusted side of the system executes a full-fledged traditional operating system. Certain hardware peripherals can be preserved to be exclusively accessible by the secure side only. The secure side is supposed to be a static and low-complexity software that invokes security functions when asked for by the untrusted side. Based on the new low-complexity base-hw platform introduced with Genode 12.08, we successfully implemented a scenario where Genode runs as a trusted OS on the secure side, and Linux on the untrusted side of a TrustZone platform. By running Genode on the trusted side, we can principally leverage a scalable component-based OS to implement a variety of security functions such as a secure GUI, which go beyond the traditional usage scenarios of TrustZone technology. 3. Going social on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook ------------------------------------------------- To reach the Genode community, business partners, as well as our families and friends, we are using diverse information channels including the news feed on the company website, the genode.org project website, mailing lists, and this newsletter. So we can tailor the information to different fields of interest. To go with the times, we have now embraced popular social-media platforms to complement the existing channels. To follow us more closely and get involved with us, we invite you to get in touch at Google+, Twitter, and Facebook. Google+ https://plus.google.com/105801807312497993181 Twitter https://twitter.com/GenodeLabs Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Genode-Labs/144785688946758 About the newsletter -------------------- If you have friends or colleagues who might be interested in our projects, we would appreciate you to forward this email. If you received this newsletter as a forwarded email, you may subscribe to the newsletter here: http://genode-labs.com/newsletter In the case of receiving this newsletter unintended, you can cancel your subscription at any time by replying to this email with the subject set to "unsubscribe". Best regards -- Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske Genode Labs http://www.genode-labs.com · http://genode.org Genode Labs GmbH · Amtsgericht Dresden · HRB 28424 · Sitz Dresden Geschäftsführer: Dr.-Ing. Norman Feske, Christian Helmuth
