Cyber Security in Embedded Systems and IoT Devices
Internet of Things (IoT) and embedded systems, which have entered every aspect of our lives from smart home systems to military technologies, have become primary targets for cyber attackers. Providing security on these devices, which have limited processor power and memory capacity compared to traditional computer systems, requires custom engineering solutions. As Novenix Technology, we discussed the security standards we apply in the Embedded Software and hardware solutions we develop.
1. Secure Boot
Security must start from the very second the device is powered on. Secure Boot verifies that the firmware code executed by the device is digitally signed by the manufacturer. If the code has been altered or the signature is invalid, the device refuses to run. This permanently prevents malware from being loaded onto the device.
2. Firmware Encryption and OTA Updates
When IoT devices are deployed, updates must be transmitted securely over-the-air (OTA). To prevent the software from being intercepted or manipulated during OTA, secure communication protocols like TLS/SSL must be used and the transmitted firmware must be encrypted. Also, reverse engineering should be made difficult by using hardware-protected memory regions of the device.
3. Hardware Security Modules (HSM and TPM)
Storing cryptographic keys, passwords, and certificates in the normal flash memory of the embedded processor is a major security vulnerability. These sensitive data should be stored in physically protected chips such as Hardware Security Module (HSM) or Trusted Platform Module (TPM). In this way, copying keys is prevented even if the device is opened.
4. Secure Communication Protocols
When IoT devices communicate with cloud or servers, they must use encrypted versions of protocols like MQTT, HTTP, or CoAP (MQTTS, HTTPS, DTLS). In addition, each device must have its own unique client certificate, and the server should only exchange data with authorized devices. For server-side security and architecture, you can benefit from our Server-Based Software service.
Conclusion
In IoT projects, security is not an "add-on" feature, but the most basic building block of the project. A small negligence in embedded software and communication infrastructure can result in the entire system being compromised. To develop embedded solutions that comply with industry standards and successfully pass cyber security audits, you can contact Novenix experts.