Genode

Genode is a free and open-source software operating system (OS) framework consisting of a microkernel abstraction layer and a set of user space components. The framework is notable as one of the few open-source operating systems not derived from a proprietary OS, such as Unix. The characteristic design philosophy is that a small trusted computing base is of primary concern in a security-oriented OS. Genode can be used as a basis for a desktop computer or tablet OS or as a virtual machine monitor for guest operating systems. The framework has been used as a trusted component of secure virtualization systems for both x86 and . The small codebase of Genode makes it a flexible alternative to more complex Unix-derived operating systems. For this reason the framework has been used as a base system for research in such fields as virtualization, inter-process communication, IP stack isolation, monitoring, and software development. Genode was first conceived as the Bastei OS Architecture research report at the Technical University of Dresden (TU Dresden). The focus of the report was to determine the practicality of a component-based OS using capability-based security. This report was motivated in part by research into L4 microhypervisors conducted during the same time. Following the success of an early prototype, the authors of the report founded the company Genode Labs to develop Bastei as the Genode OS Framework. The project is developed publicly as an open source project released under the terms of the GNU Affero General Public License with a commercial entity offering alternative licensing. Releases are scheduled at three-month intervals to make changes to the system application binary interface (ABI), application programming interface (API), and issue documentation. The OS framework is available in source code form and following the 18.02 release a general purpose derivative named Sculpt is provided with on-target binary deployment. Genode builds on the general philosophy of microkernels: the smaller and simpler the code, the easier it is to verify for trustworthiness and correctness.