About the CHERI Alliance
The CHERI Alliance brings industry, research, government, and open-source communities together to accelerate responsible adoption of CHERI technology.
Moving a processor security architecture into widespread use requires more than a specification. Developers need compatible hardware, toolchains, operating systems, libraries, guidance, assurance, and a community able to maintain them.
The CHERI Alliance is a neutral, international, non-profit organisation based in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It was formed as a Community Interest Company to support the development, promotion, and industry adoption of CHERI technology.
What the Alliance does
The Alliance connects processor and system designers, software developers, researchers, product organisations, public bodies, and users. Its activities include:
- coordinating technical collaboration through working groups;
- supporting common software, guidance, and implementation resources;
- encouraging alignment across instruction-set architectures and platforms;
- explaining CHERI to developers, decision-makers, and wider communities;
- operating the CHERI Enabled programme;
- convening events and sharing implementation experience;
- representing the needs of an emerging commercial and open-source ecosystem.
A bridge across the ecosystem
CHERI grew through long-running work at the University of Cambridge and SRI International, followed by wider research, government programmes, open-source development, and commercial implementation. The Alliance provides a place for those communities to align on practical adoption without transferring ownership of every project to one organisation.
Members can contribute expertise and requirements, share work where collaboration is useful, and learn from organisations solving related problems. Public resources and open projects also allow participation beyond formal membership.
Boundaries of the role
The Alliance does not guarantee the security of every product using CHERI, replace sector regulators or standards bodies, or direct all independent CHERI work. Product vendors, integrators, and operators remain responsible for their designs and claims.
The governance pages explain how priorities and responsibilities are organised. The membership pages describe how organisations can take part.