Celebrating 2024’s Collaborative Achievements at the FreeBSD Foundation

As 2024 comes to a close, the FreeBSD Foundation reflects on a year defined by significant technical accomplishments, strategic collaborations, and tangible growth for the FreeBSD Project. We initiated ambitious, multi-tier projects that elevate FreeBSD’s capabilities and demonstrate our collective strength in working alongside a diverse range of collaborators—industry leaders, independent researchers, open source consortia, and community contributors. While we’re proud to showcase some of our largest efforts here, these are just a few examples of a much broader ecosystem of ongoing cooperative work.

Throughout 2024, we introduced tools to increase transparency, modernized core infrastructure, and advanced security through targeted investments and audits. These achievements demonstrate our unwavering commitment to open source principles and highlight how robust collaboration can drive FreeBSD’s long-term sustainability.

Strengthening Security Through Collaborative Audits

The Foundation engaged the offensive security firm Synacktiv in thorough code audits of critical FreeBSD components, including the bhyve hypervisor and the Capsicum sandboxing framework. Funded by Alpha-Omega, these audits identified potential vulnerabilities and produced targeted improvements, bolstering FreeBSD’s resilience.

In addition, the Foundation carried out a security audit of FreeBSD’s development practices, working closely with the FreeBSD Project teams: Source Manager, Cluster Administration, Security, and Release Engineering. Supported by $137,500 in funding from Alpha-Omega, these combined efforts ensure that FreeBSD’s security posture continues to evolve alongside a changing digital landscape.

“Through publicly disclosing our findings and acting on them, we’re taking meaningful steps to secure FreeBSD and reinforce the security of the broader software supply chain,” says Gordon Tetlow, Security Officer of The FreeBSD Project.

Learn more:
FreeBSD Foundation Releases Bhyve and Capsicum Security Audit Funded by Alpha-Omega Project

Transformational Work Supported by the Sovereign Tech Agency (STA)

One of 2024’s most defining collaborations stemmed from the German Sovereign Tech Agency (STA, formerly Sovereign Tech Fund) commission. This €686,400 investment recognizes FreeBSD’s essential role in open source innovation and is structured to deliver improvements across FreeBSD’s infrastructure, security, compliance, and developer experience.

Work Package A was our first significant initiative under the STA commission. By partnering with analytics experts Bitergia, we implemented GrimoireLab dashboards that deliver clearer insights into FreeBSD’s Bugzilla backlog. This new visibility has streamlined bug triage, remediation, and prioritization and already appears to be driving measurable improvements in backlog management. 

Since the launch of Work Package A, members of the FreeBSD Community have consistently closed 2–3 bugs for every new one reported, reflecting a more proactive and efficient response to issues. While correlation doesn’t imply causation, ongoing collaboration with the Core and Source Manager teams ensures these tools and processes will continue evolving with community feedback, sustaining the positive momentum we’ve seen.

Building on these achievements, we’re moving forward with additional STA-supported initiatives in early 2025. These include implementing Zero Trust Builds, establishing more automated CI/CD practices, modernizing Ports and Package Collection security controls, and integrating advanced tooling for Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). Each step embodies our commitment to evolve FreeBSD’s ecosystem sustainably and transparently.

“The funding from STA is accelerating our ability to stabilize and secure FreeBSD’s infrastructure,” says Ed Maste, Senior Director of Technology at the FreeBSD Foundation. “These large-scale collaborations demonstrate our readiness and capacity to deliver on complex, multi-tier projects.”

Learn more:
Sovereign Tech Fund to Invest €686,400 in FreeBSD Infrastructure Modernization

Improving Laptop Usability Through Targeted Collaborations

In late 2024, we launched a focused initiative to enhance FreeBSD’s usability and accessibility on modern laptop hardware. Backed by a $750,000 joint investment with Quantum Leap Research, this effort targets critical areas like wireless connectivity, power management, graphics support, and audio functionality.

What makes this initiative especially powerful is its community-driven approach. The newly formed Laptop and Desktop Working Group (LDWG) brings developers, users, and stakeholders together—fostering a shared vision and encouraging active participation. Additionally, by working closely with industry collaborators like Dell, AMD, and Framework, the Foundation enhances FreeBSD’s growing appeal and ensures that solutions are informed by real-world user needs.

“The Laptop Support and Accessibility project exemplifies how large-scale, multifaceted collaborations can directly improve the FreeBSD user experience,” says Ed Maste. “By expanding our hardware compatibility and functionality, we are making FreeBSD a more attractive and reliable choice for laptop users across various sectors.”

Learn more:
Quantum Leap Research and FreeBSD Foundation to Invest $750,000 to Improve Laptop Support and Usability

Broadening Our Collaborative Ecosystem

2024 was marked by strategic alliances that reached beyond individual investments. The Foundation’s membership in the CHERI Alliance represents a collective push toward memory-safe computing. Likewise, working with the Center for Internet Security (CIS) to publish the CIS FreeBSD Benchmark gave FreeBSD users a comprehensive guide to hardening their systems in line with industry best practices.

These engagements highlight the FreeBSD Foundation’s ability to align with forward-looking technologies and standards and emphasize its adeptness at undertaking large, multi-tier projects with diverse partners. Beyond these headline initiatives, countless ongoing collaborations—from enterprise contributors and hardware vendors to academic researchers and user groups—continue shaping FreeBSD’s roadmap.

“These collaborations reflect the growing recognition of FreeBSD’s value and flexibility,” says Deb Goodkin, Executive Director at the FreeBSD Foundation. “They enable us to continually adapt, innovate, and ensure that FreeBSD remains a robust platform for future technologies.”

Learn more:
Initial members join CHERI Alliance
New CIS® FreeBSD 14 Benchmark

Looking Ahead to 2025

Building on the momentum from 2024’s impactful projects, the Foundation is poised to tackle even more ambitious efforts in 2025:

• Continued STA-Commissioned Work: Following the success of Work Package A, we’ll deliver additional packages focused on security, automation, and modernized workflows.
• Advancing Laptop Support and Usability: By continuing to refine wireless, graphics, power management, and audio functionalities, we aim to broaden FreeBSD compatibility and improve device capability across a more extensive list of laptop models.
• Engaging the Community and Improving FreeBSD for All: In addition to these highlighted collaborations, we remain dedicated to engaging with the community, refining our processes, and making FreeBSD easier and more approachable for all users.

“2025 holds tremendous potential,” says Deb Goodkin. “By building on our successes and expanding our network of collaborators, we ensure FreeBSD remains at the forefront of open source innovation.”

Join Us on the Journey

None of these achievements would be possible without the active participation and support of the FreeBSD community, our collaborators, and contributors worldwide. Your input and enthusiasm drive our collective success and guide us as we embark on even more ambitious projects.

As we progress, we’ll continue sharing updates, hosting community events, and encouraging everyone to join us. Our work in 2024 is a testament to what’s possible when we come together, reaffirming that FreeBSD’s strength lies in its technology and the breadth and depth of its collaborations. We invite you to stay connected, provide feedback, and help shape FreeBSD’s future in 2025 and beyond.