Baking Security in from the Beginning of IoT SoC DesignĮvery IoT device has security design considerations that must be thought through at the earliest stages of the SoC design process. Consider a fitness tracker that only monitors your daily step count compared to a complex healthcare network that contains a trove of highly confidential and personal data the latter requires higher-grade security and safeguards. And, of course, the value of the data being processed by the application varies widely.

Different applications have specific needs and restrictions - performance, form factor, power consumption, operating environment, and cost, to name a few. Security is a fundamental requirement of any connected device, but implementing security solutions is not a “one size fits all” proposition. AI-enabled attacks are commonplace, for example, as breaches use advanced algorithms to bypass seemingly secure systems and networks. With the amount and value of data that can be accessed, hackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their approaches. Connected devices operate in an environment where attacks can originate from anywhere and must be capable of adapting to an evolving threat landscape. IoT security is complex and encompasses many layers involving both hardware and software efforts at all levels of the network, and the rules of the game are constantly in flux. The number and variety of IoT security attacks have increased as the volume of devices proliferate on networks, even with those that offer the most secure connectivity. For all the advances and automation that IoT enables, security is paramount because it affects both device manufacturers and end users alike. At every point, there are vulnerabilities to malicious attacks allowing interception of vital information. At the same time, the ubiquity of IoT devices, which market watchers estimate to be in the tens of billions, also makes it more attractive to bad actors who see opportunities in the sheer volume of “open doors” that the popularity of IoT offers.

The continued innovation and widespread adoption of connected devices - the internet of things (IoT) - has resulted in a vast range of conveniences that improve our lives every day.

Staff Product Marketing Manager for DesignWare Security IP

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