WISeKey provides a unique identity for IoT devices in the form of an “IoT Birth Certificate” and protects this unique identity using its secure VaultIC semiconductor
WISeKey International Holding Ltd. (“WISeKey”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity and IoT company, provides a unique identity for IoT devices in the form of an “IoT Birth Certificate” and protects their unique identity using its secure VaultIC semiconductor.
A digital identity for any IoT device is analogous to a person’s birth certificate. The IoT certificate is signed, or “certified” by a trusted authority and contains basic information such as date & time of manufacture (birth), company (parents), and type of product (gender, eye color, etc.). This digital identity, used throughout the IoT device’s lifetime, allows the device to become a “Good Citizen” of the Internet, prove its identity and provide verifiable data.
The IoT Birth Certificate is based on a cryptographic public‑private key pair that is unique to each IoT device. The public key for this key pair is part of the certificate and can be freely distributed, while the private key is used whenever the IoT device needs to verify its identity or to sign data to ensure cryptographic integrity. It is the private key that represents the essence of the identity of the IoT device.
An IoT device can be impersonated by compromising the device’s private key. To protect against impersonation, the device’s digital identity is protected using WISeKey’s VaultIC hardware that is specifically designed to keep the private key safe. Hackers are very creative in their attacks to obtain private keys, so a specifically designed hardware to safely protect this identity, is essential.
In real world applications such as Blockchain, AI, and object‑to‑object communication, it is particularly important to keep the private key safe using the VaultIC. A good example of object-to-object communication is case of the electric vehicle charging stations. Carlos Moreira, WISeKey CEO pointed out, “The car’s Birth Certificate is unique, and cannot be duplicated nor counterfeited. At the same time, the connection between the car and the plug requires the same level of authentication, to keep connections and related transactions safe. Otherwise if a car connects to an unauthorized plug, the plug can transfer malware to the operating system of the car and allow hackers to later manipulate the car. WISeKey’s Birth Certificate provides the security needed to protect devices and users.”
WISeKey’s IoT Birth Certificates BLOG post on the Cybersecurity Tech Accord Signatory Blogs page provides additional insights on the parallels between IoT certificates and birth certificates.
