Micron Technology has introduced the “industry’s first” silicon-based security-as-a-service platform for protecting internet of things (IoT) edge devices. The new Micron Authenta Key Management Service (KMS) platform enables a cloud-first deployment model for a broad set of industrial and automotive applications. It allows installed Authenta-enabled devices to be switched on through a cloud-based service, mitigating some of the biggest challenges and complexities related to securing devices in a connected environment.
The number of connected IoT devices deployed across markets such as automotive, enterprise, industrial control and connected home is expected to grow from 23 billion in 2019 to 30 billion by 2020. Securing these diverse devices remains a concern for system OEMs who want a simple solution that is cost-effective and independent of their choice of system-on-a-chip (SoC) hardware. Authenta KMS, along with its hardware root of trust embedded in NAND and NOR flash devices, equips OEMs to safeguard device functionality at the silicon level.
Current methods adopted by the industry for protecting connected devices have their limitations and typically center on one of three common practices: adding secure elements, which is costly and difficult to scale; leveraging secure key injection in the SoC, which creates a fragmented architecture; or simply doing nothing, which puts devices below market and compliance standards.
“Securing a diverse set of IoT edge devices through the complete product lifecycle — from the supply chain to in-field management — requires a novel, simple, scalable and cost-effective approach. Authenta KMS provides a trusted and unique silicon-to-cloud service for all ‘connected things’ using Authenta-enabled flash devices,” said Amit Gattani, Senior Director of embedded segment marketing for Micron’s Embedded Business Unit.
Micron’s Authenta KMS complements existing efforts to protect IoT networks through secure element functions in Authenta-enabled standard flash devices. Authenta KMS security-as-a-service platform allows installed secure flash devices to be activated and managed at the edge through a cloud-based service. This capability enables platform-hardening and device protection through the entire lifecycle, extending from the manufacturing supply chain to in-field installation and management.
“The electronics industry needs to mitigate the growing security concerns from today’s fragmented and vulnerable IoT supply chain. We are pleased to see Micron’s introduction of Authenta Key Management Service, which promises to provide a strong foundation of early provenance and traceability in the supply chain and in the enablement of trusted device services,” said Tom Katsioulas, Board Member of the GSA Trusted Supply Chain working group and head of TrustChain operations at Mentor, a Siemens business.
