DornerWorks, an engineering firm specializing in secure embedded electronics development, and DDC-I, a supplier of software and professional services for mission- and safety-critical applications, announced advanced high assurance for mission and safety-critical applications. Without foundational security, mission and safety-critical applications can be put at great risk. By porting DDC-I’s Deos operating system as a guest OS on the seL4 microkernel, DornerWorks is enabling a new level of advanced security against emerging threats alongside safety-critical real-time responsiveness, enhanced performance and flexibility.
Deos from DDC-I, is a safety-critical embedded real-time operating system (RTOS), and has a proven track record of delivering higher CPU utilization through patented cache partitioning, memory pools, and safe scheduling. First certified to DO-178 DAL A in 1998, Deos provides Rate Monotonic, ARINC-653 and POSIX interfaces plus conformance to the FACE Safety Base and Safety Extended Profiles. Its space partitioning and resource allocation enforcement provide inherent isolation and a secure system design. With support for multi-core operation, industry-standard APIs and modular boot code, Deos improves performance and lowers the risk of critical applications with an easier path to certification. Its compatibility with 3rd party security software allows for seamless integration of encryption, secure networking, and key management.
seL4, the formally verified microkernel, provides a solid foundation for secure and modular software systems. Its virtual machine monitor (VMM) functionality enables the hosting of virtual machines supporting asymmetric multiprocessing (AMP), symmetric multiprocessing (SMP), or a hybrid of both. This allows for the implementation of diverse software architectures using different operating systems while maintaining robust security.
By running DDC-I’s Deos as a guest OS on the seL4 microkernel, DornerWorks empowers organizations with modernized software systems for the US Warfighter. The combination of Deos’ safety-critical features and seL4’s formal verification enhances ease of use, portability, and modularity, all while ensuring robust security.
“DornerWorks is committed to delivering innovative solutions that meet the demanding requirements of mission and safety-critical applications,” says Dr. Gregg Wildes, PhD., DornerWorks business development leader. “By supporting DDC-I’s Deos as a guest OS on the seL4 microkernel, we provide our customers with a powerful combination of safety, security, and flexibility that enables them to build higher assurance systems.”
“Deos, with its industry leading safety-critical RTOS pedigree, running atop the seL4 microkernel provides a security enhanced platform for mission-critical software,” said Greg Rose, vice president of Marketing at DDC-I. “We are very excited to be working with DornerWorks to offer the aerospace and defense market an integrated multicore platform that delivers a best-in-class secure microkernel and hosts our DO-178C verified RTOS alongside other guest operating systems for maximum software portability.”
The collaboration between DornerWorks, DDC-I, and seL4 microkernel showcases the commitment to accelerate innovation and advance high-assurance systems. Organizations can further leverage DornerWorks’ VM Composer tool to easily configure platforms to their operational requirements, unlocking the benefits of the seL4 microkernel without vendor lock-in.