Documentation

Frequently Asked Questions

The following FAQ has been put together by the community. In addition to the primary authors, the following people have contributed:

  • David Eriksson

Is OSDP standardized? ​

Yes. OSDP has become an IEC standard — IEC 60839-11-5.

Who owns this protocol? ​

OSDP is wholly owned by SIA (Security Industry Association).

Can I use OSDP/libosdp in my product? ​

Yes, you are free to use OSDP and/or LibOSDP in your product. You do not have to pay any royalties to SIA or goToMain.

Where can I find the specification document? ​

The protocol is free, but the specification is developed and maintained by the Security Industry Association and must be purchased from their website.

Is OSDP free to consume? ​

Yes. OSDP is open to consumption. You can procure the specification document and implement it yourself.

There is one specific use case — Transparent Mode for smart cards — that may have a license requirement from HID/Assa. An alternative method, Extended Packet Mode (developed by the OSDP WG and included in the standard), transports APDUs from a smart card without encumbrance.

I'm contributing to LibOSDP — should I buy the specification? ​

Please send an email to [email protected]. Contributors of this project do not need to purchase the specification.

Update (2021-06-29): This needs to be confirmed with SIA due to the new terms under which the specification is shared.

When you have a CP but no PD (or the other way around), tools built on LibOSDP can stand in for the missing side. Osprio Emulator emulates a CP or PD on a real bus so you can exercise the device you do have, and Osprio Capture sniffs and decodes live OSDP traffic for inspection.