OpenBSD 8.0 release expands hardware support and memory mapping
The OpenBSD project has launched version 8.0, introducing expanded memory address capabilities and new graphics driver support while maintaining its focus on security.
The OpenBSD project has released version 8.0, marking the 61st iteration of the operating system. Founder Theo de Raadt noted that the project maintains its historical security focus, reporting that the platform has recorded only two remote vulnerabilities in default installations over its 30-year history.
Technological updates in this release include support for Intel Arc A-Series graphics hardware and a significant expansion of the kernel virtual address space on AMD64 architectures, now reaching 512GB. This adjustment enables the mapping of more than 4GB of video RAM, addressing a long-standing constraint for users with high-performance graphics requirements.
Further improvements target virtualization and hardware compatibility. The update adds hibernation support for ARM64 systems, increases virtual CPU support to 64 per guest machine, and introduces the rtrd daemon for RPKI-to-router communication. Meanwhile, the project has officially retired support for Loongson architecture following compatibility issues with the Clang 22 compiler.
The OpenBSD 8.0 release continues the project's long-standing tradition of semiannual updates, ensuring ongoing support for LibreSSL 4.4.0 and OpenSSH 10.6.