Security platform suits Industry 4.0 & IoT markets

The initial solution relies on a low-cost, low-power secure 32-bit MCU supplied by StarChip, with a dual certification from EMVCo (Europay Mastercard Visa) and Common Criteria Evaluation Assurance Level, delivered in a 3x3 DFN6 package and other standard packages making it an easy-to-integrate companion chip in any sensor, device, or gateway.

The StarChip secure microcontroller is programmed at Avnet Memec-Silica’s secure warehouse with a firmware supplied by Trusted Objects, adding a set of functions and commands tailored for the exact requirements of the customer’s final application and global security architecture. The programmed secure MCU thus becomes a secure element with the capability to perform cryptography primitives and complex functions comprising and not limited to AES, ECC encryption, decryption, signature, secure key renewal (Diffie-Hellman), on-board key generation, true random number generation, handling of certificates and more while never exposing secret keys to the outside world.

Last but not least, this secure element is personalised with the support of Trusted Objects at Avnet Memec-Silica’s secure warehouse with unique public keys, private keys, certificates and identifiers generated on-site by a dedicated HSM (Hardware Security Module) as per the security scheme required by each customer’s application and global security architecture. Secure elements and, if needed, matching whitelists, are then securely made available to the customer or its manufacturing partner.

Example codes implementing various secure protocols, both at the embedded and server levels, will be provided and demonstrated with Avnet Memec-Silica’s Visible Things IoT platform and made readily available to our customers.

Philippe Fremont, Vice-President of Technical Marketing EMEA, Avnet Memec-Silica comments: “Whereas connecting objects, devices and machines to enterprise IS/IT enables a breadth of new services in the consumer and industrial IoT, we believe it should not jeopardise the global security of such systems. This is the reason why Avnet Memec-Silica together with our partners are proud to introduce this highly flexible innovative certified security platform able to handle end-to-end security inside and above communication networks for every one of our customers.”

Hanène Maupas, Vice-President of StarChip Sales & Marketing comments: “When you open assets living in your network to the Internet, you increase the 'attack surface' because you are extending your business model to new areas, partners and user types. The security answer to this fundamental change is to protect the system against any potential attacks including obtaining private or confidential data, manipulating or controlling devices, confusing or denying service to applications that use and supply data within IOT systems and specifically in Industry 4.0 revolution. A secure element based on a secure MCU, a secure firmware and personalised by the issuer is already widely used and proved its efficiency in different use cases such as payment, access control and e-government. Adapting this technology to be used in Industry 4.0 and IoT is the innovation that we are bringing to the market with our partners Avnet Memec-Silica and Trusted Objects.”

Sami Anbouba, CEO of Trusted Objects comments: “The broader deployment of the IoT will require trust in the connected objects and in the data transmitted; in this respect, a Secure Element solution embedded into the object is one of the most efficient security solutions to protect the entire IoT network against a growing number of attacks. We are proud to have brought our digital security expertise to co-develop with our partners Avnet Memec-Silica and StarChip a Secure Element solution that will enable all players in the IoT chain to dramatically increase their confidence in the objects and the data.”