PeerSec Networks has released a beta version of MatrixSSL, its small SSL library optimized for embedded systems and released under the GPL. The project aims to replace the comprehensive but large and BSD-licensed OpenSSL library with a GPL'ed package meeting the stringent size and security requirements of embedded systems.

In an announcement note sent yesterday to the openssl-dev mailing list at openssl.org, PeerSec President J Harper wrote, “Many companies in our place have developed their own compact implementation, sometimes based on OpenSSL, but have not released the code back into the public. We felt that if we were to develop an open source “SSL lite” designed for devices, we would contribute it to the open source community so other companies and projects wouldn't have to go through the process of implementing it again.”

According to Harper's post, MatrixSSL features:

• SSLv3 server protocol support
• Full session resumption support
• Under 50K library footprint with crypto provider
• Included crypto library – RSA, 3DES, ARC4, SHA1, MD5 (some based on http://www.libtomcrypt.org)
• Cipher suites – RC4-MD5, RC4-SHA and DES-CBC3-SHA
• Pluggable interface for new cipher suites, crypto providers and OS support
• Nine public apis, all non-blocking
• Reference implementation (Mbedthis AppWeb embedded Web server)
• Clean, well documented source code and documentation
• GNU Public License, with alternate license available for proprietary commercial use

Harper adds that the software “should not be used in production systems until it's had more of a workout and the benefit of community feedback.”

The MatrixSSL beta is now available for download, here.

 
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