FreeRTOS 202604 LTS now available with enhanced security and MQTT v5.0

FreeRTOS 202604 LTS, a new Long Term Support release of the open-source real-time operating system for embedded devices, is now available. This release provides embedded systems developers and Internet of Things (IoT) device manufacturers with feature stability, security updates, and critical bug fixes for two years. It addresses key challenges in embedded systems, including memory safety, code quality, and protocol support.

FreeRTOS kernel v11.3.0 introduces new hardware ports, security hardening, and expanded Memory Protection Unit (MPU) support, reducing the number of MPU regions claimed by FreeRTOS and allowing developers to reserve hardware regions for application-specific memory protection. Additionally, coreMQTT v5.0.2 adds MQTT v5.0 protocol support, enabling features like topic aliases for bandwidth-constrained devices and request/response patterns for interactive IoT applications. coreSNTP v2.0.0 brings year 2038 readiness, so devices deployed today can validate TLS certificates and timestamp data correctly throughout their operational lifetime.

This release offers libraries verified for memory safety and MISRA-C compliance. The libraries improve robustness, portability, and reliability in embedded systems.

Migration guides for coreMQTT and coreSNTP provide detailed guidance for updating to FreeRTOS 202604 LTS. For projects requiring critical fixes on the previous LTS version beyond its expiry, the FreeRTOS Extended Maintenance Plan is available. To learn more, visit the FreeRTOS LTS page and FreeRTOS LTS GitHub repository.