Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
SPEAKERS:
Alfredo Mazzinghi - CHERI Alliance
Marno van der Maas - lowRISC
John Thomson - lowRISC
This session was a part of the Hardware track at the RISC-V Developer Workshops held at RISC-V Summit Europe 2026 in Bologna, Italy.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
Hands-on Introduction to CHERI - This proposal outlines a condensed, high‑impact hands‑on workshop introducing participants to CHERI and CHERIoT technologies. It is based on the structure and learning objectives of the Hands‑on Introduction to CHERI and CHERIoT tutorial offered at the CHERI Blossoms Conference 2026, adapted for a shorter format suitable for the RISC-V Summit.
The workshop provides newcomers to CHERI (students, researchers, and developers) with a practical foundation in capability‑based security, memory safety, and compartmentalization. Participants will gain first‑hand experience with CHERI‑extended hardware–software stacks and CHERIoT’s embedded‑focused capability model.
RESOURCES:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oVc1cFinXq6XzMjRJXgnxAz9pqsc74K3?usp=sharing
Getting started guide: lowrisc.github.io/sonata-software/doc/getting-started.html
Questions? Email: info(at)lowrisc(dot)org
Program:
Introduction to CHERI
A focused overview of CHERI’s hardware capability model, including memory safety guarantees, pointer integrity, and how CHERI introduces fine‑grained compartmentalization.
Practical CHERI Software Demonstration
Participants work through guided hands-on examples using CHERI-enhanced C/C++ code on CHERI Application class systems. Exercises demonstrate spatial and referential safety enforcement.
Introduction to CHERIoT & Embedded Capability Systems (30 minutes)
A streamlined version of the CHERIoT and Sonata FPGA segment introduces CHERIoT RTOS and its application to secure embedded systems. Participants explore a pre‑prepared example illustrating compartmentalized IoT firmware design.
Participants will receive links to slides and teaching materials.
Participants must bring their own laptop with an SSH client installed on it.
If you have your own Sonata board, please bring it with you to the tutorial. Regardless of having the Sonata board, please follow the steps of the Sonata software getting started guide up to the section “Running Sonata software” ahead of the tutorial - lowrisc.github.io/sonata-software
SPEAKERS:
Alfredo Mazzinghi - CHERI Alliance
Marno van der Maas - lowRISC
John Thomson - lowRISC
This session was a part of the Hardware track at the RISC-V Developer Workshops held at RISC-V Summit Europe 2026 in Bologna, Italy.
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION:
Hands-on Introduction to CHERI - This proposal outlines a condensed, high‑impact hands‑on workshop introducing participants to CHERI and CHERIoT technologies. It is based on the structure and learning objectives of the Hands‑on Introduction to CHERI and CHERIoT tutorial offered at the CHERI Blossoms Conference 2026, adapted for a shorter format suitable for the RISC-V Summit.
The workshop provides newcomers to CHERI (students, researchers, and developers) with a practical foundation in capability‑based security, memory safety, and compartmentalization. Participants will gain first‑hand experience with CHERI‑extended hardware–software stacks and CHERIoT’s embedded‑focused capability model.
RESOURCES:
drive.google.com/drive/folders/1oVc1cFinXq6XzMjRJXgnxAz9pqsc74K3?usp=sharing
Getting started guide: lowrisc.github.io/sonata-software/doc/getting-started.html
Questions? Email: info(at)lowrisc(dot)org
Program:
Introduction to CHERI
A focused overview of CHERI’s hardware capability model, including memory safety guarantees, pointer integrity, and how CHERI introduces fine‑grained compartmentalization.
Practical CHERI Software Demonstration
Participants work through guided hands-on examples using CHERI-enhanced C/C++ code on CHERI Application class systems. Exercises demonstrate spatial and referential safety enforcement.
Introduction to CHERIoT & Embedded Capability Systems (30 minutes)
A streamlined version of the CHERIoT and Sonata FPGA segment introduces CHERIoT RTOS and its application to secure embedded systems. Participants explore a pre‑prepared example illustrating compartmentalized IoT firmware design.
Participants will receive links to slides and teaching materials.
Participants must bring their own laptop with an SSH client installed on it.
If you have your own Sonata board, please bring it with you to the tutorial. Regardless of having the Sonata board, please follow the steps of the Sonata software getting started guide up to the section “Running Sonata software” ahead of the tutorial - lowrisc.github.io/sonata-software
