Build trust in IoT devices

In the modern era, one of the fastest ways to damage a company’s reputation is with a security breach. These incidents are front page news: the home security camera breach, the hacked office building access control, the vulnerabilities in cardiac devices.

“We all know about vulnerabilities to critical infrastructure devices, but even our kids’ toys are connected and have risks. Our job is to secure these connected devices,” explains Pär Torstensson, Product Manager IoT for Nexus.

Nexus, part of the French IN Groupe, is a European leader in identity management for people and things. They have more than 25 years of experience in securing identities and today issue almost 40 million digital identities every week.

Threats continue to grow, aimed at the 14.4 billion connected devices worldwide. Companies must secure their devices and applications to protect their customers – not just their data and privacy, but even their health. Robust security can help maintain a good reputation and increase the value of a company’s devices and services.

“Security starts at the factory when devices are manufactured,” Torstensson continues. “The five pillars for a well-founded security design are: define your needs, team up with a trusted partner, use tested technology, ensure scalability and flexibility, and follow regulations and industry standards.”

Nexus provides public key infrastructure (PKI), a well-established security concept to secure communication. It issues identities from a trusted certificate authority, allowing for authentication, data integrity and confidentiality. PKI also scales, which is crucial as the number of connected devices grows rapidly.

“Our solutions make sure the device is really who it claims to be, the transmitted data is not altered along the road, and only the intended recipients can read the transmitted data,” says Torstensson.

Nexus has helped companies in a variety of industries secure their devices, such as the power tool company STIHL and the aeronautics powerhouse Airbus. Nexus is experienced with sector-specific practices, like with the automotive industry and their vehicle-to-everything communications (V2X). Being based in Sweden is also an advantage: Europe is on the forefront of IoT cybersecurity and data protection regulations, including the adoption of new standards such as IEC 62443 and ETSI EN 202 645.

“It’s a benefit to be a European company because we are in the vanguard of the best practices and technologies. I would say that we are highly trusted and respected on the market,” Torstensson says.

Nexus has different solutions to best fit the precise needs of different companies, such as trusted IoT identities as a service and Factory CA product for shop floor deployment. |

THE FIVE PILLARS FOR A WELL-FOUNDED SECURITY DESIGN

1) Define your needs.

2) Team up with a trusted partner.

3) Use tested technology.

4) Ensure scalability and flexibility.

5) Follow regulations and industry standards.

If you want to learn how secure IoT devices can protect your company and customers, as well as strengthen your brand, please visit nexusgroup.com/solutions/iot