Frequently Asked Questions
==========================

The following FAQ is being put together by the community regarding OSDP. In
addition to the primary authors, the following people have helped generously to
obtain these information.

  - David Eriksson

Is OSDP standardized?
---------------------

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

Who is the owner of this protocol?
----------------------------------

OSDP is wholly owned by SIA.

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?
--------------------------------------------

Though the protocol is free, the specification is developed maintained and by
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.

Although, there is a very specific OSDP use case named Transparent Mode for
smart cards that MAY have a license requirement from HID/Assa. There is an
alternate method of transporting APDUs from a smart card called Extended Packet
Mode that was developed by the OSDP WG and included in the standard that has no
encumbrance.

I'm contributing to libosdp project should I buy the specification?
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Please send an email to sidcha.dev@gmail.com. Contributors of this project do
not need to purchase the specification.

Update (29.06.2021):

This needs to be confirmed with SIA due to the new terms under which the
specification is shared to me.