OpenBSD 7.8 Released: Raspberry Pi 5 Support, Parallel TCP & AMD SEV-ES

OpenBSD 7.8 introduces parallel TCP stack for multi-core networking, Raspberry Pi 5 support, AMD SEV-ES security, and enhanced hardware compatibility across ARM64, AMD64, and RISC-V64 platforms.

OpenBSD 7.8 operating system interface showing new features and hardware support

Tech News1 min read

Introduction

OpenBSD 7.8 is released with key enhancements in networking, hardware support, and security, including Raspberry Pi 5 compatibility and AMD SEV-ES for encrypted virtualization.

Enhanced Networking Performance

The parallel TCP stack processes traffic across up to 8 CPU cores, boosting throughput for multi-core systems with dynamic softnet thread allocation.

Expanded Hardware Support

ARM64 supports Raspberry Pi 5 via serial console. AMD64 gains improved GPIO handling and SEV-ES for secure VMs. Graphics drivers are updated for newer cards.

System Reliability Improvements

Enhancements include preallocated hibernate areas, GPIO lid suspend/resume, fault prevention on ARM64/RISC-V64, and debugger access on Apple hardware.

Pros and Cons

Advantages

Enhanced networking performance with parallel TCP processing
Raspberry Pi 5 support expands embedded deployment options
AMD SEV-ES enables confidential virtual machine security
Improved graphics driver support for newer hardware
Better power management and suspend/resume functionality
Enhanced debugging capabilities across multiple platforms
Strong security focus with regular vulnerability patches

Disadvantages

Limited desktop application ecosystem compared to Linux
Steeper learning curve for new BSD users
Fewer hardware drivers than mainstream operating systems
Smaller community support resources available

Conclusion

OpenBSD 7.8 advances performance and security with parallel TCP, expanded hardware support, making it suitable for embedded and enterprise use despite a steeper learning curve.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main networking improvement in OpenBSD 7.8?

OpenBSD 7.8 introduces a parallel TCP stack that processes network traffic across up to 8 CPU cores simultaneously, significantly improving networking performance for multi-core systems with dynamic softnet thread allocation.

Does OpenBSD 7.8 support Raspberry Pi 5?

Yes, OpenBSD 7.8 adds ARM64 support for Raspberry Pi 5 through serial console access, expanding the operating system's compatibility with modern embedded hardware platforms.

What security feature does AMD SEV-ES provide?

AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization with Encrypted State (SEV-ES) enables confidential virtual machine deployment by encrypting VM memory states, providing enhanced security for virtualization workloads on supported AMD processors.

What architectures does OpenBSD 7.8 support?

OpenBSD 7.8 supports ARM64, AMD64, and RISC-V64 architectures with improvements like Raspberry Pi 5 compatibility, SEV-ES security, and enhanced driver updates for better performance and reliability.

How does the parallel TCP stack improve performance?

The parallel TCP stack uses multiple CPU cores to handle network traffic simultaneously, increasing throughput and making OpenBSD more competitive for high-performance server and network monitoring applications.