Validation of Linux for Safety-Related Systems

Christoph Stückjürgen, Siemens AG

During the past years, Linux has become the most popular Operating System for Embedded Systems. In the area of safety-related systems however, Linux' market share is still small. This is because safety standards only deal very little with Open Source Software like Linux, therefore up to now it was not clear how to correctly use Linux in safety-related systems. Siemens recently has presented the world's first safety validation of a Linux system according to the standard CENELEC 50128, thus making it possible to benefit from Linux' advantages also within safety-related systems.

According to CENELEC 50128, validating Linux means "the activity of demonstration, by analysis and test, that the product" - i.e. Linux - "meets, in all respects, its specified requirements". The first step in the validation therefore is to analyze and document the functional and non-functional requirements towards the Linux system.

In the talk we present, how the safety requirements to Linux were determined, how Open Source test suites were reused to demonstrate that the requirements are fulfilled and how failed tests were handled.