In a groundbreaking move, Oracle has announced the open-sourcing of Jipher, a robust Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) provider designed for both security and high-performance applications. Developed to meet the stringent requirements of environments adhering to Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140, Jipher has played a pivotal role in enhancing the performance of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI).
Jipher, now available as an open-source offering through the OpenJDK, has demonstrated significant performance improvements within Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. Oracle highlights its commitment to supporting Project Panama-based Java applications, an initiative aimed at fostering interconnections between the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) and native code.
Specifically tailored for FIPS compliance, the Jipher provider supports algorithms approved by FIPS, including the OpenSSL 3.0 FIPS module. Notably, it delivers competitive performance compared to other providers such as Bouncy Castle or default JDK providers. The Java Cryptography Architecture (JCA) features a robust provider architecture and APIs covering a spectrum of security aspects, including digital signatures, message digests, certificates and certificate validation, encryption, key generation and management, and secure random number generation.
In the realm of network security, Oracle has outlined its plans to release the Oracle Zero Trust Packet Routing Platform. This initiative stems from a commitment to developing a new open standard for data and network security. The platform is designed to empower organizations to better safeguard data in distributed IT environments. Oracle is set to collaborate with organizations across various industries to shape and define this new open standard.
Additionally, Oracle has earmarked a significant contribution of $3 million in credits for Ampere Arm-based hardware annually for three years. This generous contribution is intended to support the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This initiative aligns with OCI’s commitment to cloud-native computing, combining cloud-native Ampere compute infrastructure with a myriad of open-source projects hosted by CNCF, thereby advancing cloud-native services.