WITTENSTEIN high integrity systems (WHIS), a key division of the WITTENSTEIN group, is a global leader in the development and supply of mission and safety critical Real Time Operating Systems (RTOS).
With over 25 years of expertise in safety engineering, WHIS has evolved from its aerospace origins to powering mission-critical applications across the globe. Guided by deep technical expertise, a relentless commitment to excellence, and adherence to the highest safety standards, WHIS remains at the forefront of innovation in safety-critical systems.
WHIS offers a specialized portfolio of RTOS solutions, including SAFERTOS®, a safety-certified RTOS known for its exceptional performance and dependability in demanding environments. In addition to SAFERTOS®, WHIS provides OPENRTOS®, the commercial license for FreeRTOS, as well as the Enhanced Security Module and Safety Plugins, delivering unparalleled security and flexibility. WHIS’ cutting-edge technologies are trusted worldwide, backed by comprehensive services and strengthened by a robust partner network, ensuring reliability and success across industries.

SAFERTOS®

SAFERTOS® is a safety-critical Real-Time Operating System (RTOS) for embedded processors, pre-certified to ISO 26262, IEC 61508, and fully compliant with IEC 62304 and DO 178C. Renowned for its superior performance and minimal resource usage, SAFERTOS® has been independently certified by TÜV SÜD since 2007 and boasts a flawless 100% customer success rate in certification across diverse sectors.

WHIS engineers took the FreeRTOS functional model, exposed it to a full HAZOP, identified and mitigated all areas of weakness within the functional model and API, and then took the resulting requirements set through an IEC 61508 SIL 3 development life cycle. As the FreeRTOS kernel and SAFERTOS® share the same functional model upgrading is straightforward, with many customers prototyping with FreeRTOS before transitioning to SAFERTOS® during the formal development phase.

SAFERTOS® is delivered with a comprehensive Design Assurance Pack (DAP), which includes all design artifacts produced throughout the development lifecycle, ensuring complete traceability and compliance throughout the product lifecycle.

Enhanced Security Module

The SAFERTOS® ESM hardens the spatial separation between user mode Tasks, effectively mitigating the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information and system control. The primary goal of the ESM is to protect against malicious attempts, safeguard data and reduce the impact of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks. In the event of a system breach, the ESM will immediately notify your application, while providing protection against unauthorized access to data and functions. The ESM significantly slows an attacker’s progress, providing valuable time for the application to be notified. By making it far more difficult for hackers to penetrate the system, the ESM increases detection time and enables quicker, more effective countermeasures.

OPENRTOS®

OPENRTOS® is WHIS’ commercial licensing for Amazon FreeRTOS. OPENRTOS® combines the efficiency of the FreeRTOS kernel with comprehensive commercial support and licensing, providing you with enhanced flexibility and reliability. With commercial licensing, you gain standard protections, indemnification, and expert support for peace of mind. WHIS also include a 12-month warranty and tailored board support to ensure your project’s success. Additionally, WHIS take care of the setup with your processor/compiler and provide a fully functional demo project to ensure smooth implementation.

The LDRA tool suite supports verification of software applications developed to run on SAFERTOS® and OPENRTOS®. LDRA’s integration with WHIS’ operating systems allows developers to easily perform static analysis, dynamic analysis, unit testing, and timing analysis on a wide variety of virtual and physical target hardware.