RED OS
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Founder | Red Soft |
| Headquarters | Russia |
| Products | Linux distribution |
| Website | redos |
RED OS is a Linux distribution from Russia that integrates both open source and proprietary software components, though it lacks independent security audits.
This operating system is registered in the Unified Register of Russian Software and holds certification from Russia's FSTEC, confirming its adherence to Type A security standards for operating systems, specifically meeting the A4.PZ protection class within the IT OS security framework.
Development history
Starting in 2012, Red Soft began developing GNU/Linux distributions under a governmental contract with Russia’s Federal Bailiff Service aimed at improving their automated information systems. This initiative resulted in the GosLinux distribution, which was based on CentOS 6 and incorporated features such as unauthorized access prevention and support for Russian governmental cryptographic standards. Initial deployment took place in 2013 across various federal service departments.
Following the positive reception of GosLinux, Red Soft introduced RED OS as a standalone product in 2014. The development process integrates methodologies from prominent open source communities including RedHat/Fedora, openSUSE, and Debian/Ubuntu, while strictly complying with both international and Russian standards like POSIX and LSB. The Ministry of Finance of Russia’s expert council on domestic software has validated this compliance.
On February 26, 2024, RED OS version 8 was officially launched, with a subsequent release on May 5, 2025, of RED OS 8 tailored specifically for ARM-based processors.
Application
RED OS has seen broad implementation across various governmental bodies within Russia. For instance, in 2018, more than half of the computer workstations at the Multifunctional Center for State and Municipal Services in the Kursk Region were migrated to RED OS.
By the end of 2019, the Ministry of Labor in the Orenburg Region completed a full transition from Windows to RED OS on 288 workstations as part of an import substitution strategy.
On January 20, 2020, after successful compatibility testing and collaboration agreements, RED OS was approved for deployment on Huawei Taishan 200 model 2280 servers.
In December 2020, Rostelecom announced intentions to adopt RED OS as its primary server operating system to replace previously used foreign Linux distributions.
Additionally, toward the end of 2020, the Ministry of Health in the Kaliningrad Region acquired 930 automated workstations equipped with RED OS for healthcare institutions, covering close to one-fifth of medical staff positions.
Editions
The state-supported version of ED OS is offered in two variants:
- The Standard Edition provides up-to-date package versions designed for general home and office usage.
- The Certified Edition holds FSTEC certification from Russia for use within government and corporate environments that handle legally protected confidential data. The latest certified release is version 7.3 (certification completed December 2021).
Configurations
RED OS is available in two main configurations: workstation and server, both utilizing a unified software repository (e.g., version 7.3).
Key workstation packages encompass:
- Desktop environments: MATE, GNOME, KDE Plasma 5
- Productivity suite: LibreOffice
- Email clients: Thunderbird, GNOME Evolution
- Web browsers: Firefox, Chromium enhanced with GOST cryptography compatibility
- Image editing software: GIMP, Inkscape
- Instant messaging applications: Pidgin, ekiga, PSI, Vacuum-im
- Remote terminal clients: OpenNX, Remmina, x2go, freerdp
- Multimedia players: audio/video tools such as Audacious, MPlayer, VLC
- Virtualization platforms: QEMU, VirtualBox
- Container management tools: docker, podman
The server variant includes packages supporting essential network services (DNS, DHCP, SMTP, POP3/IMAP, Samba, IPA, sshd, web servers) alongside administration utilities like Ansible, Puppet, Cockpit, and Webmin.
Fundamental Security Components
Every RED OS setup includes essential security mechanisms such as:
- Access-control lists
- Enforcement of domain and type policies
- Authentication managed through the PAM framework
- An audit subsystem designed to track significant security incidents
- A mandatory access control framework (SELinux)
Capabilities
RED OS incorporates broad enhancements aimed at seamless integration with Microsoft Windows infrastructures, facilitating remote workstation connectivity to Active Directory, IP, and Samba DC domains.
In addition to widely available cryptographic media solutions, Red Soft produces proprietary tools that ensure secure functionality. A key example is RED WINE, which builds upon the Wine project to improve compatibility with Russian Windows programs and supports electronic signature applications within Linux systems.
Electronic Signature Support
RED OS is compatible with leading cryptographic providers in the Russian Information and Communication Infrastructure (ICI) sector, including CryptoPro CSP and Infotex's ViPNet CSP.
System Specifications
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