Thank You for Joining Our Live Q&A Session on Technical Advisory Committees

Mar 27, 2025

On March 24 and 25, 2025, we hosted two live Q&A sessions to discuss the formation and role of the new Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) concerning the OpenSSL Library. These sessions featured:

• Tim Hudson, President of the OpenSSL Corporation (Session 1)
• Matt Caswell, President of the OpenSSL Foundation (Sessions 1 and 2)
• Anton Arapov, Operations Director of the OpenSSL Corporation (Session 2)
• Hana Andersen, Marcom Manager of the OpenSSL Corporation (both sessions)
• Moderated by Kajal Sapkota

These interactive webinars offered our community the opportunity to ask questions and better understand the purpose and structure of the TACs.

Why TACs, and Why Now?

Following the creation of the Business Advisory Committees (BACs) in 2024, the TACs are advisory committees focused on technical input. While BACs help guide what should be done at a business level, TACs advise on how those features are implemented, with direct insight into code design, implementation priorities, and developer best practices.

BACs focus on what. TACs guide how.

Each TAC — one for the OpenSSL Corporation and one for the OpenSSL Foundation — includes six elected members representing the following community categories:

• Academics
• Committers
• Distributions
• Individuals
• Large Businesses
• Small Businesses

These communities were defined to ensure diverse and balanced input across the OpenSSL Library.

Key Takeaways from the Q&A Sessions

• Anyone can nominate or be nominated for a TAC seat. Self-nominations and nominations by others are both accepted.
• No formal qualifications are required, though nominees should be technically fluent enough to represent their community.
• TAC members are expected to commit up to 10% of their time to advisory responsibilities. Employer acknowledgement is encouraged for those representing organisations.
• Each community elects one representative per TAC for a one-year term.
• Voting is done through the OpenSSL Communities website, and a 15% minimum voter turnout is required for a valid election.
• One vote per community membership: individuals can vote in each community they belong to, while organizations (e.g., distributions, small and large businesses) have one collective vote.
• There is no proxy voting, but this may be explored in future cycles based on community feedback.
• There is no formal leadership within the TAC; all members have equal standing. A chair may be selected internally if the group chooses.
• TACs can set their own meeting cadence and working methods. Monthly meetings and a mix of online tools (forums, polls, mailing lists) are expected.
• TAC meetings may be public, depending on each group’s preferences. Meeting minutes will be published on the OpenSSL Communities platform.
• TACs can propose major changes to the OpenSSL Library, advise on technical strategy, and help shape how project goals are implemented.
• The TAC seat is personal, not tied to an employer. If a representative switches companies but remains in the same community category, they may continue serving.

“This is the first time the OpenSSL Corporation and Foundation are formally giving the community a direct channel to provide structured input and feedback.” – Anton Arapov

What’s Next?

We are currently in the registration, nomination and candidate vetting phase, which closes on April 13, 2025. The voting period will follow, and results will be announced on April 28, 2025. The newly elected TAC members will begin their one-year terms immediately.

Anyone interested in the governance and direction of the OpenSSL Library is encouraged to register on the OpenSSL Communities website and consider nominating themselves or a colleague.

Thank You

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who joined us for these two live sessions, submitted questions, or followed up afterward. Your thoughtful participation is a vital part of shaping a more transparent, open, and collaborative OpenSSL Project.

We look forward to this new chapter in our governance and community engagement journey.

If you missed the sessions or would like to view the recordings, please email us at feedback@openssl.org.

Let’s build the future of open cryptography together.