We are announcing changes to the OpenSSL governance structure to enhance community engagement and strengthen our commitment to our Mission and Values. These changes are part of our ongoing journey to empower and provide more opportunities and mechanisms for active participation in decision-making processes.
New Governance Framework
OpenSSL has two independent but co-equal entities to support the Mission:
The OpenSSL Foundation primarily focuses on non-commercial communities.
The OpenSSL Corporation primarily focuses on commercial communities.
This balanced approach ensures both entities can operate independently and make decisions autonomously.
Board of Directors
The OpenSSL Management Committee (OMC) has been dissolved, and boards of directors have been elected for the Foundation and the Corporation. There are ten voting members for each organization. These boards share all the responsibilities and authorities of the former OMC co-equally.
Community Advisory Committees
To further engage our communities, we are establishing two advisory committees for each entity: a Business Advisory Committee (BAC) and a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The communities will elect the members of the BACs and TACs, creating a direct channel for community input in roadmap development and reflecting the diverse perspectives of OpenSSL's communities.
New Projects Under the OpenSSL Mission
The Bouncy Castle and cryptlib projects have adopted the OpenSSL Mission and Values. Both projects are renowned cryptographic libraries that bring valuable expertise and resources to our mission, broadening the scope and impact of our work. Collaboration between the OpenSSL Library, Bouncy Castle, and cryptlib will benefit all our communities.
Support from the Foundation and the Corporation is available for all projects under the OpenSSL Mission on an opt-in (voluntary) basis.
Timeline and Future Plans
Business Advisory Committees for both entities will be established at the end of October 2024.
Technical Advisory Committees will be established by the end of April 2025.
The OpenSSL Technical Committee will be dissolved after establishing all the business and technical advisory committees.
An OpenSSL user conference in Europe will be held in the last quarter of 2025.
For more detailed information about these changes, including the current board of directors and advisory committees, visit our Blog.
If you have any questions or comments, reach out at marcom@xxxxxxxxxxx.
Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to working together as we redefine our work practices and empower our communities to shape the future of OpenSSL.
Best regards,
Kajal SapkotaMarketing and Communications Specialist OpenSSL Team kajal@xxxxxxxxxxx
