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April 22, 2025 14 mins

Exploring wolfSSL: High-Performance Security for Embedded and Enterprise Systems

This episode delves into the high-performance world of wolfSSL, a leading TLS/DTLS library for securing digital communications. wolfSSL experts David Garske and Zach Beckman, drop in to clearly explain how wolfSSL's lightweight design can be partnered with NXP SoCs to help developers cover the security requirements in a breadth of products from embedded devices to enterprise servers. Discover how wolfSSL stands out with features like:

  • Post-Quantum algorithm support
  • Rapid Zephyr integration
  • Compliance with evolving security standards like FIPS 140-3 and DO-178C

Evaluate zephyr examples in NXP's Application Code Hub: https://mcuxpresso.nxp.com/appcodehub?appSource=partner&search=wolfssl

Learn more about wolfSSL: https://www.wolfssl.com/

00:00 Introduction to EdgeVerse TechCast

00:41 Meet the Hosts and Guests

01:05 Overview of wolfSSL

01:59 wolfSSL in Application Code Hub

02:43 Security Features and Compliance

04:30 Integrating wolfSSL with Zephyr

07:33 Performance and Customization

10:29 Industries and Compliance

12:17 Rapid Fire Fun and Recap

14:20 Wrap up

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Kyle Dando (00:10):
Hey everyone welcome back to the EdgeVerse TechCast.
This is your go-to place for everythingrelated to NXP software tools and
enablement, specifically tailored forNXP processors and microcontrollers.
I'm your host, Kyle Dando, and todaywe're diving into the world of wolfSSL.

(00:31):
They are a high performance TLS / DTLSlibrary that's securing the way we connect
and communicate in the digital world.

Bridgette Stone (00:41):
I'm Bridgette Stone, your other co-host.
Today we're exploring how wolfSSL deliversexceptional security performance from
embedded devices to enterprise servers.
We're joined by experts, David Garske andZach Beckman from wolfSSL, who will walk
us through the key features and advantagesof this powerful security solution.

(01:01):
Welcome to the TechCast.

David Garske (01:03):
Yeah.
Thank you for having us.
We're excited to dive into whatmakes wolfSSL unique, especially
our lightweight design, high qualityengineering that keeps your project
secure across a broad range of platforms.

Kyle Dando (01:18):
Yeah.
So David and Zachary, we've marked thisTechCast as one of our Application Code
Hub episodes, and I'm really excitedto share with the listeners how we've
worked together to now have wolfSSLas part of the Application Code Hub.
This is the best way forengineers to quickly evaluate
what we're going to discuss today.
But hold on, I know we're gonna cover thata little further on in our discussion.

(01:41):
And I'm sorry, Bridgette, for jumpingahead, but I just could not help myself.
Why don't you kick us off?
As our discussion was supposed to.

Bridgette Stone (01:49):
Well, we've been working long enough together, Kyle,
that I know you're always goingoff script and it's totally cool.
So I'm gonna go ahead and jump in andwe're gonna do the softball toss first.
So Zachary and David, can you tell us whois wolfSSL, and what makes you guys stand
out in the world of security software?

David Garske (02:08):
Yeah.
We are the leader in open sourceembedded security software.
We deliver lightweight, highperformance cryptographic libraries
and solutions that are purpose-builtfor resource constrained environments.
So from small embedded IoTdevices, all the way up to
high-end aerospace applications.
Our solutions power securesystems around the world.

(02:30):
We back our technology with thebest support in the industry,
including free pre-sale supportdirectly from engineers like me.
So our developers can buildwith confidence, speed,
and rock solid security.

Bridgette Stone (02:41):
Super impressive!
With the growing concerns though arounddata security, how has wolfSSL evolved
to meet the challenges of modern threats?

David Garske (02:52):
That's a great question.
wolfSSL, we stay actively engagedwith government industry groups and
including industry leading companies,and we align with the latest security
standards and recommendations ensuringthat, that our libraries support all
the latest algorithms and protocols.
We take a very proactive approachto embedded security design.

(03:13):
Integrating features likea hardware root of trust.
A secure key store, cryptographicengines and secure boot /updates.
We place strong emphasis on protectingdata at-rest, in transit, and
with a firmware update process.
We ensure high security standards bydefault, offering long-term support,

(03:34):
rapid vulnerability response, and rigorousthird party audits and certifications.
For example, CNSA 2.0 defines a timelinefor supporting post quantum algorithms.
We fully support post quantum inall our libraries, including hybrid
schemes, leveraging currently trustedalgorithms with quantum resistant ones,

(03:54):
including dual algorithm certificates.
Another example is in EU there is theCyber Resilience Act, known as the CRA,
which defines new security requirementsfor connected products starting in 2027.
This requires things like a softwareBOM, third party auditing, and
since we're fully open sourceand don't rely on any external

(04:14):
software, it makes us a natural fit.

Kyle Dando (04:18):
Okay.
You guys are at the forefrontof keeping everybody's software
up to date and in compliance.
So I'll ask this to Zach.
How are developers quickly integratingwolfSSL into their projects?
We've worked together on bothFreeRTOS and other projects.
But our last episode covered Zephyr, soit may be real interesting if you could

(04:39):
tell us, how can people get startedwith a Zephyr project in wolfSSL?

Zackery Backman (04:44):
Hey Kyle, so great thing is wolfSSL can be quickly integrated
into new and existing projects inZephyr, and this is because we dedicated
some time to make a Zephyr module.
So this means for any developerworking on existing or new
project, it's a three step process.
Where all they have to do is add wolfSSLto the project's West YML file, perform

(05:05):
a update using the West tool, and thenupdate their project to include wolfSSL in
any configurations they want for wolfSSLto gain access to the API for the project.

Kyle Dando (05:16):
Okay, well, you know, three steps sounds simple enough.
But here it is Zach.
This is what you and I have beenworking on for, I don't know,
I think it's been six months.
You've been very patient andyou've done a lot of great work.
Why don't you tell the listeners how,wolfSSL's Zephyr projects are now
available in NXP's Application Code Hub.

Zackery Backman (05:36):
Yeah, Kyle, I think it's been about six months.
We recently just put up the TLS Serverexample on the NXP Application Code
Hub, and this is a perfect intro tousing the setup process I described.
This example is great forestablishing secure communications
between network systems earlyon, especially embedded systems.
And this helps reduce projectrisk in multiple ways.

(05:57):
One is proof of concept.
Second is hardware prototyping.
Making sure the networkingdevices on your custom board,
using NXP, is working properly.
So it's a great place to havea fork or a starting point for
a new project for a developer.
And then we also have some otherfun demos, in the NXP App Code
Hub using wolfSSH, and wolfMQTT.

(06:19):
And then we have an exciting newone coming soon, and that's wolfTPM.

Kyle Dando (06:23):
And the nice thing about this is, as you and David go with
customers and find new applications.
It's gonna be really quick for you guys toadd those up on the Application Code Hub.
This is a perfect place for ourlisteners to go and get started.
We'll put the link inthe, episode description.
Now that we have you inthe Application Code Hub.

(06:43):
Once they've taken advantageof this quick start.
They still need to develop within Zephyr.
Zach, could you explain a little bitfrom your experience, what's been the
biggest learning curve for developerswhen they start developing with Zephyr?

Zackery Backman (06:58):
Yeah, Kyle from what I've seen newer developers, especially
if they're more familiar with baremetal and other RTOS environments, like
FreeRTOS, the biggest learning curve isprobably Zephyr's Device Tree System.
Which is a departure from manualconfiguration, which is typical
in most bare metal programming.
So developers will need to understandhow to define their hardware peripherals

(07:21):
and the properties of the devicetree format to integrate these in
Zephyr's driver model to use properly.
And this can take a few days to grasp,but maybe a few weeks to really master.

Bridgette Stone (07:33):
Thanks Zach.
So I'm gonna switch gears just a littlebit and get us into the nitty gritty.
What makes wolfSSL stand out in termsof performance and how does it deliver
faster results compared to others?

David Garske (07:47):
That's a great question.
So Bridgette, we offer severaloptions for the underlying math of our
algorithms, including pure C versionsof those which are extremely portable.
And then ones that are assembly optimized.
It's handwritten assembly that isspecific to an architecture, for example.
And each of those is available ineither a small or large variant.
And there's an ability to control wherethe memory is used, and that's unique.

(08:09):
Uh, I, I don't know of anyother libraries that do that.
Our assembly optimized versions of thecode typically see a two to 10 x speed
up, which far exceeds performance ofany competitor products you might find.
Sometimes that even outperformsthe onboard cryptographic
hardware that may exist.
Another unique feature to our solutionis support for non-blocking cryptography.
So that enables operations, asymmetricoperations, for example, like ECDSA or

(08:34):
ECDHE to be split up into smaller piecesof work, which is really beneficial
if you're in a bare metal environment.
It's another very unique feature of ours.

Kyle Dando (08:44):
Okay.
Well, can you go into a little bitmore detail behind wolfSSLs lightweight
and portable design and why is thiscritical for Embedded Developers?

David Garske (08:55):
Most embedded developers are on space constrained environments where
they have a small amount of Flash or RAM.
What we did is we set up all ofthe algorithms and features in our
library to be controlled throughbuild macros, so build time macros.
This allows everything to becustomized for their specific product.
For example, you can build wolfCryptwith only ECC signing and SHA2,

(09:16):
or ECC verification if you want.
Or you could build just wolfSSLwith TLS 1.3 client only with or
without Mutual authentication.
All those features reduce code size andyour exposure risk that you may have.
Right?
So embedded developersreally appreciate that.

Kyle Dando (09:32):
Okay.
then how do the developers customizetheir wolfSSL for all these different
parameters and how do they get thetrade offs that you just explained?

David Garske (09:40):
Well, that's a much bigger topic.
Typically those build options aremanaged in a single build file
called the user_setting.h In embeddedenvironments that's typically how we
do it, and there's some great examplesfor that under the examples Config
Directory in our wolfSSL product.
All the products that we have allsupport these types of build options,
and they're all well documented.

(10:01):
But we really designed oursolutions for portability.
Which is the primary reasonwe chose C as a language.
There are other reasons, but thatis one of the primary reasons.
We find many customers standardizing onour libraries across different platforms.
This reduces the complexity oftheir projects and the effort
required to maintain these.
We also guarantee forward APIcompatibility between releases, which is

(10:23):
really important for project stability.

Bridgette Stone (10:25):
Thanks, David.
All right.
I have one.
I'm gonna toss over to Zach.
In terms of industries, whatindustries rely most on wolfSSL, and
who within an organization shouldbe evaluating its capabilities?

Zackery Backman (10:39):
Hey Bridgette.
So as David alluded to earlier, wolfSSLis used in many sectors needing stringent
security like government, military,medical, and financial, like banking.
So one of the big things aboutwolfSSL is right now it, it's
currently FIPS 140-3 certified, andwe also have DL-178 certification.

(11:01):
So this helps reduce project risk for anyprojects that need these certifications.
wolfSSL also providesexcellent support and testing.
We offer a big safety net forlong-term projects and services.
For example, our FIPS 140-3 certificateholds a five-year validation period
where, most others are only two.

(11:22):
These are benefits that really any ProjectManager or Risk Analyst, working on a
project should take into consideration.

Bridgette Stone (11:29):
It is really interesting to see how many high
stakes industries depend on wolfSSL.
How does wolfSSL handle evolvingcompliance requirements like FIPS
140-3 or new security regulations?

Zackery Backman (11:43):
Yeah, so wolfSSL, we leverage our industry connections
and partnerships like with NIST, NISTAssociated Labs, and other certification
bodies like the European common criteria.
And this is so we can maintaina proactive stance on emerging
trends and developments.
This enables us to lead the way indelivering cutting edge solutions,

(12:03):
ensuring compliance with newcertifications and standards for
the benefits of our customers.
Leadership and innovation in themarket are core principles that drive
wolfSSL's commitment to excellence.

Bridgette Stone (12:16):
Very cool.
Thank you.
So I wanna have a littlefun before we wrap up.
And talk about who really needsto be paying attention to wolfSSL,
and who might be in for a bitof a wake up call if they don't.
We're diving into the world ofsecurity compliance, and well avoiding
the "uh oh" moment with your boss.
So who's on the VIP list for evaluatingwolfSSL, and who might be in the

(12:39):
doghouse if they skip this step?
So I'm gonna do a couple rapid fires.
First.
Who needs to evaluate wolfSSL?

David Garske (12:46):
Security Engineers, Compliance Officers, Project Managers,
and security sensitive industriesand Embedded System developers
should evaluate wolfSSL to ensuresecure communication and compliance.

Bridgette Stone (12:59):
And who's gonna fail to impress their boss?

David Garske (13:03):
Product, Project managers, Developers who overlooked
importance of using proven encryption,libraries like wolfSSL, risk project
failure, vulnerabilities, and setbacks.

Bridgette Stone (13:13):
And last but not least, who might get in trouble?

David Garske (13:17):
Anyone overlooking the importance of proven top tiered encryption
libraries like wolfSSL, risks thesecurity and success of their project
and might end up with an unhappy managerwhen vulnerabilities or delays hit.

Kyle Dando (13:30):
That was great, Bridgette.
What a great way to get Davidto give us some quick answers.
Let's quickly recap what we covered today.
First we explored wolfSSL's key features.
You guys talked to us about the highperformance encryption to where it is
very lightweight and it has a portabledesign, and that makes it the go-to
choice for securing everything fromembedded devices to enterprise servers.

(13:55):
We also took a deep dive into how wolfSSLhelps developers create secure, scalable
solutions across multiple platforms.
Plus, we touched on the industriesthat rely on wolfSSL to keep their
communication safe and secure.

Bridgette Stone (14:10):
Thanks so very much David and Zach for
sharing insights with us today.
We really appreciate it.

David Garske (14:16):
Yeah, thank you for having us.
We're thrilled to have been here.

Zackery Backman (14:18):
Thanks, Kyle.
Thanks, Bridgette, for having us.

Bridgette Stone (14:20):
So for our listeners out there, if you enjoyed this
episode, don't forget to Like,Subscribe and hit that Notification
bell so you never miss an episode.
And if there's a topic you'd likeus to dive into, drop us a comment.

Kyle Dando (14:32):
And until next time, keep innovating, stay secure and we'll catch
you on the next EdgeVerse Techcast.
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