**
*We are announcing changes to the OpenSSL governance structure to
enhance community engagement and strengthen our commitment to our
Mission and Values <https://openssl-mission.org/>. 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 <https://openssl-foundation.org/>primarily
focuses on non-commercial communities.
*
The OpenSSL Corporation <https://openssl-corporation.org/>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 <https://www.bouncycastle.org/>and cryptlib
<https://cryptlib.com/>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
<https://openssl-library.org/post/>.
If you have any questions or comments, reach out at mar...@openssl.org
<mailto:mar...@openssl.org>.
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 Sapkota*
*Marketing and Communications SpecialistOpenSSL teamka...@openssl.org*
