News

Hardware-Based Security for the Internet of Things

February 12, 2018 by Paul Shepard

The Internet of Things is changing the world as we know it - in industry and in the home. Smart industrial robots, refrigerators and washing machines already communicate with each other. Yet devices that are online can be attacked. That's why Infineon Technologies AG is adding the OPTIGA™ Trust X to its OPTIGA™ Trust family.

This hardware-based security solution provides robust security to the diverse applications in the Internet of Things, ranging from smart homes to drones.

The OPTIGA Trust X offers secured communication and software updates, mutual authentication and much more. Device manufacturers save time and costs thanks to the plug-and-play concept enabling even companies without specialist know-how in the field of security.

Thomas Rosteck

"In the Internet of Things we have to think about security from the very beginning," says Thomas Rosteck, Division President Chip Card & Security at Infineon. "Hardware-based security provides the necessary protection against attackers, as critical data can be separated from operations. Thanks to OPTIGA Trust X, we make it easy for manufacturers to integrate robust security into their IoT devices."

Secured smart city with intelligent streetlights from eluminocity

The developers of intelligent streetlights at eluminocity also rely on OPTIGA Trust X from Infineon. They use it to protect the streetlights against unauthorized access - from the cloud down to device level.

In cooperation with Infineon and Intel, eluminocity has transformed a simple streetlight into a versatile hub. It's already being used at the Hong Kong Science Park, where it offers flexible street lighting, a charging station for electric cars, and air measurement sensors.

First drone with hardware-based security

Emergency service workers often only have sparse information when they reach the scene of an accident. In the "Digital Product School" conducted by UnternehmerTUM, employees from Infineon, Nokia and TÜV SÜD have together with students jointly developed the first drone with hardware-based security.

Its aim is to provide emergency services with reliable information before they arrive. Here too, sensitive data must be protected, the control unit must be authenticated reliably and attacks be repelled. The developers are using the OPTIGA Trust X to achieve that - it delivers efficient protection against attackers and serves as a trust anchor.

OPTIGA Trust X security solution

This security solution covers a broad range of applications: mutual authentication, secured communication, data storage protection, assignment of keys, lifecycle management, power management, secured updates and integrity protection for the platform.

The solution comprises the chip, the operating system, the applications, software and device drivers, and an evaluation kit.

The OPTIGA Trust X can be used in temperatures from -25°C to +85°C and in an extended range from -40°C to +105°C. It is therefore also suitable for deployment in harsh industrial environments.