embedded software development company

How can Embedded Security be Managed in the IoT World?

Technology has re-evolved itself to get its best potential look — the shift from a simple mobile to a smart one and now e-sim and IoT. Everything is just magical and startling. The Top Embedded Companies have stirred up to meet the demands and are absolutely nailing in their division. IoT has certainly come up as a need to be fulfilled. It has not only influenced homes but has changed the look of cities. It has the capability to approach the possibilities we can think of. IoT app development companies are doing their best to serve the technology as per the demands and needs.

Coming to digital security transformation and its importance, the acceptance of digital solutions and trust over it is astonishing. We have seen a queue in a bank for money withdrawal and now digital money transfer from different payment gateways. It is utterly stunning the way we have accepted and trusted these systems, Today, the same trust of the users is observed in websites and apps in the field of connected things.

The growing urgency of security has now reached from cyber (cloud) security to the hardware level (silicon). Thus here comes embedded security into the vision and provides an essential link in granting both enterprise and consumer trust.

Any idea about embedded security?

You can guess from the term, as it merely confers about “device security”. Embedded can be segregated into two significant aspects- ensuring integrity and confidentiality.

Let me throw some crucial questions related to embedded.

  • Integrity: Are you sure the data you are receiving is coming from a trusted place and is authentic?
  • Confidentiality: How do you safeguard your essential data, intellectual property and safety mechanisms (keys) for those secrets?

Embedded security can free you from all the major disquieting factors and real threats. Here I am listing few:

  • Counterfeiting- This covers both unauthorized duplicates and the overwriting of product firmware with a new illegal firmware image.
  • DDoS attacks- Distributed denial of service is one of the most common attacks in which device and IP address are hijacked to then flood other network servers to force temporary shut down.
  • Tampering- This could be defined as an attempt to extract keys or yield desired results like incorrect meter readings through physical tampering. In fact, some devices radiate electromagnetic radiation that can unlock specific models of electronic door locks.

Above mentioned are just a few threats, and there are many others which would grow and evolve with the lapse of time. Not to worry much, because embedded software development companies can help you in sorting out challenges of security. Device security is integrated with cloud security, protocol security, and manufacturing security when a device is developed.

Also Read: How IoT Solutions can Enhance Agriculture in 2020?

How will this evolution change the outlook of businesses?

Businesses that have already taken ground in the market and are expecting to sustain for the next ten years and beyond should evaluate their products, systems and threats. The main aim is to evaluate the cost spent to breach security versus cost spent on providing solutions for high security.

As said, there are no “one-size-fits-all” solutions in digital security, but there are embedded software companies in India that will provide high quality and reliable solutions. Let us read about some of the device security solutions which you can get:

Developer best practices:

The first step to the success of the product is- the right and precise decisions, along with precautions taken in product development from the beginning. There are many crucial steps you need to pay heed, which requires no hardware or software. Here are some practices for developers to follow:

  • Revise code for security issues, such as buffer overflows and unregulated input data
  • Lock debug interfaces
  • Use built-in protocol security
  • Use third parties to test your device

Protective layers in memory:

Adding to the above practices, specific hardware and software features can also contribute to protecting the device. For instance, MPU, i.e. memory protection unit allows privileged software to define memory access permission. IC’s also have SMU, which is a security management unit which offers more flexible and fine-grained protections that covers microcontroller peripherals.

Built-in hardware accelerators for encryption and key generation:

Key generation and encryption are other security solutions to protect the device from deceivers. Most of the iot application development companies provide IoT applications which should have some form of cryptography for encrypted data transfer.

The other option available is- instead of doing cryptography in software, devices can have built-in hardware to increase the performance of the device without negotiating with the security. Nowadays, most of the MCUs consist of hardware accelerators for cryptographic functions like AES and SHA hash functions. In fact, MCUs even have Random Number Generators for the generation of secure keys.

A superset of Random Number Generators provides superior robustness, or “entropy” and are then referred to as True Random Number Generators. There are hardware accelerators like cyclic redundancy check which can help with code error-detection. The CRC can contribute to sustaining data integrity in some aspects of a device.

Debug and maintenance:

Debug is as important as a front door is in a house. It is a necessary part of the device for development, product creation and the failure analysis of returned units. But like the opening to a home, it requires to be protected against any corrupt practices.

Hence, let’s see available options while securing a debug port:

  • Unlocked debug port– This one could turn out to be risky so never go for it. An unlocked debug port is prone to attacks as it offers low-level security.
  • Permanent lock– It is considered as good security, but its failure analysis (FA) is complicated.
  • Memory erases upon unlock– This security protects data but could not safeguard the device from the new/fake malware.
  • Lock with global password– This lock is highly secure until the password is not disclosed lest the entire IoT device fleet is compromised.
  • Lock with a unique device password– This is also counted as good security, but it’s quite challenging to manufacture it.
  • Lock with asymmetric key– This security port provides the highest security and most flexibility for FA.

RoT:

You might have come across this term before and undoubtedly aware of it.
As we know, the solutions, as mentioned above, are excellent and dependable to an extent. But what if the software implementations become corrupted? Tense? Because it would be similar to the ” fox guarding the henhouse” situation.

To resist the situation, it is better to validate the device’s contents against a Root of Trust (RoT). A Root of Trust isn’t referred to one specific product or implementation but instead is a concept that can be satisfied by a few different applications.

For embedded devices, it can be inscribed with code and cryptographic keys that are present in ROM or other permanent memory. A Secure Element (SEP) can execute the process in isolated hardware. Secure elements come in both external chip packages that are linked to MCUs and built-in monolithic (on-die) elements.

However, developers prefer on-chip implementation as it contributes to reducing system cost and provides higher levels of security.

Also Read: IoT- An Advanced Approach to Update Small Businesses

Secure key storage:

One of the critical tasks is to protect the secrecy of a system’s private key. Hence, secure key storage comes in play to defend other secrets like intellectual property and private data.
Secure Element is an excellent solution method for storing private keys as it offers permanent and safe memory location with least access.

The final protection layer which denies access is a physically unclonable function (PUF). A PUF which appears as a unique gate-level fingerprint of an MCU is functioned during the power-on boot sequence. PUF is an advanced protection way which provides device-only access to a private key while limiting its exposure. Thus, it is considered as a sophisticated and reliable technology in security.

How to stop DPA and tampering?

The above-mentioned solutions are great for cyber-attacks which are usually attempted from a remote location but if the hacker is approachable to the device. Some hackers observe the pattern of power supply and its voltage fluctuation pattern to get the device key. This technique is named as Differential Power Analysis (DPA). There are many countermeasures to restrain the attempts. Some embedded devices counteract by purposely fluctuating the power waveform.

Besides, some devices are capable of detecting the unusual changes in voltage or temperature and then alert the host interrupt handler. This whole process is termed as tamper detection.

DPA countermeasure and tamper detection, together provide high-level security to protect valuable information.

Hunt for the right solution:

Maintaining the security of the device isn’t cinch. The solution, as mentioned above, might hit your mind and make my words in vain, but the truth is there is a possibility that the suggested solutions might not be helpful for you or your system.

Knowing your product and then well-fitting solutions can only assure proper safety and smooth functioning. A reliable and tech-dedicated embedded software development and IoT development company can help you in getting the most suitable solutions for your device. The urgency for silicon- to-cloud security is growing every day.

Thus, it is required to safeguard the product from the looming threats and make it more secure and trustable for your users.

Is It Easy to Have an Embedded Software Development?

Embedded software, even referred to as the firmware, is considered as the soul of any electronic device. It resides inside the hardware controlling the functionalities of the device.

If we look around, our environment is brimming with embedded solutions.

The smart functioning of the electronic device is because of its native embedded software. In fact from the full range of computer peripherals like routers, monitors, printers etc. till household devices like microwave ovens, video cams, mobile phones etc. are capable of functioning because of its embedded system.

When you aspire to develop a device or appliances, then definitely your mind pops with an idea to inspect the list of Top Embedded Companies.

There are many embedded software development companies in India which provide embedded development services but getting a reliable and right one remains a challenge.

Before the dawn of your device development, let’s check a few difficulties faced in Embedded Software Development.

Stability- A big Issue:
Stability, no doubt is a chief concern. An unstable embedded behaviour is impermissible and may drag in many risks. End-user demands uniform and stable behaviour of the embedded system under any circumstances. A stable embedded system promises to function durably.

Safety – Unavoidable:
Embedded system is solely responsible for the proper functionalities of the device; it assures safety features to knock down the glitches. The system is associated with lifesaving functionality as it participates as a primary application in a device. The Software Development Life Cycle for embedded consist of more strict requirements and have limitations in terms of testing, quality & engineering proficiency.

Security – Necessary:
Keeping security has turned out to be a big challenge today. The exploding digitization has connected everything to the internet, thus bulging the risk of piracy.

The internet of things has interconnected one device to another certainly alarming for the data leakage possibility. Embedded software development companies need to provide software which can ensure privacy and ban piracy chances.

Launch Phase – Final Stage:
Embedded system development has been struggling in Time-to-market and time-to-revenue phase, especially in the IoT segment. The housing of the embedded system inside hardware requires advanced integration and flexibility because of the high pace IoT industry development.

Further future updates and changes in the system adds inconvenience in an IoT connected device.

Design limitation-Bar sometimes:

The design has been a bar in an embedded system because of the following reasons:

    • Small form factor
    • Low energy
    • Long-term stable performance without maintenance

Today, the market stresses the need for more processing power and longer battery life in a small space. The high recognition of IoT in the market has demanded a scalable processor of cheap cost and low power consuming, conferring optimal performance and highly configurable processors containing advanced compatible instruction set.

Integrity, along with compatibility:
It is observed that most of app development company, consisting of software proficient lacks knowledge in the implementation and updating of application in the IoT environment ( mostly in the security segment). In an extension of that, IoT devices have placed more pressure on adaptability.

Integrity becomes a necessary aspect of securing IoT device from attacks and for curtailing compromises. Security should be integrated at each level to hammer piracy issues.

Key Issues in Embedded Software Development

As per the Garten Group, till 2021 world will have 25 billion wireless connected devices which mean Embedded developers need to learn many specifications to remain in demand.

Let us check how digitalisation is changing the phases of the embedded system.

Connectivity:
Nowadays, there are several ways to connect a device or appliances to the internet. One can connect using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, LoRa, Edge, Ethernet and through many other. All these connectors are developed using different stacks, thus created a compulsion on the developer to learn about all the stacks.

Updates:
Working with an IoT enabled device frames a tough task. The update of an IoT device becomes a challenge because developers have to complete the following tasks.

    • Have to generate embedded software update
    • Save the update to devices
    • Verify that updates are delivered from a trusted source.
    • Run the update on the device at the right time
    • Stay ready to roll back if any issues occur

Thus the whole procedure is time-consuming and can be proceeded by the expertise in this profession.

Debug the software:
Bugs have become a significant issue due to a number of connected devices. The only possible solution is debugging, which consumes not only time but also extra costs. Embedded software developers have stated that IoT enabled embedded projects soaks 40% time and extra pennies.

Changes not so favouring:
In the last few decades, the emergence of new technology has disturbed the smooth procedure of the embedded system. The entrance of IoT in the industry has compelled the developer to bring changes in the already existing procedure in order to get harmonized with the latest one. The security and grip over piracy have also become challenging.

There is always a solution to every problem. If you are looking for embedded software companies in India, then get in touch of Prompt Softech. It has been recognised for its expert team and excellent services. No matter how tough and challenged an embedded software development is, Prompt expertise serves the best result.