IIoT: Securing and protecting connected objects’ data

Two key elements link security and connected objects.

Connected objects are increasingly present in our daily lives. Whether for domestic or professional use, it is estimated that by 2025, 75 billion objects will be connected to the internet. Smart light bulbs, predictive maintenance sensors on production lines, personal data collection systems and the likes are among the smart devices that make use of different network technologies (e.g. 4G, Wi-Fi, LoRa) to process, send, and analyze data.

In parallel to this growth in the production of connected objects, there is also a growing number of cyber attacks on these objects. Data theft, taking control of devices, and interruption of services are just a few of many examples.

Our role is to support our customers in the design of their IoT products by directly integrating cyber security, by:

• Uniquely and safely identifying products
• Authenticating communications with our IoT platforms to ensure the origin of data received and transmitted
• Protecting the integrity and authenticity of our product code to prevent it from being used for malicious purposes
• Continuously updating security protocols to correct flaws, add new features, or renew certificates, for example
• Granting the ability to store confidential data (passwords, private keys)

This level of security must be maintained throughout the lifespan of an IoT product, from its design to its recycling, including its production and operation.

Our product design strategy is based on the “Secure by Design” concept. It is essential to secure the design of your products as far upstream as possible.

Right from the start, we support our customers with risk analysis to fully understand the level of security to be implemented depending on the environment in which the product will operate. We then define the hardware architecture solution (electronic, mechanical) and software adapted to our customers’ needs. We organize all our practices and processes around cyber security: code reviews, coding rules, crisis management plans, active monitoring of vulnerabilities, etc. These processes allow us to anticipate potential security threats. We address cyber security at the entire system level so as not to leave any weak links that could compromise the whole security chain.

With the production sites of the Electronics activity of LACROIX, we are fully able to support you with the manufacture of your IoT projects. We make it possible to connect with your PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), or that of LACROIX if you do not have one, in order to ensure solid authentication of products, right from the onset of factory production.

We also offer a generic and secure IoT platform that connects all IoT products produced by LACROIX. This platform has numerous advantages, particularly with regards to data collection and processing, secure firmware updates, certificate renewal, and industrial fleet management (device management).

The development of this IoT platform is at the heart of our “Secure by Design” strategy. Our versatile LX Connect platform offers you a turnkey solution to accelerate your IoT projects.