WISe Insights

Delivering Secure, Ultra-Low-Power Bluetooth® 5 Beacons

Written by Marc Sanchez-Gauthier | 9/24/21 1:25 PM

From predictive maintenance to factory automation, industrial IoT applications will

 benefit from the ability to track and monitor assets, analyze 

data and run AI algorithms to or from cloud servers.

With security top of mind for these applications, WISeKey has collaborated with Tatwah sa, an IoT solutions company, and Onsemi to deliver an IoT Secure Beacon based on the RSL10 radio. and the Vault IC 40X Secure Microcontroller

The IoT Secure Beacon uses a WISeKey Vault IC 40X secure microcontroller to protect wireless transmissions to and from a cloud server using a standard Bluetooth Low Energy frame format to transmit secured frames. Designed specifically for tracking and monitoring industrial assets, the beacons provide a number of innovative features including multi-sensor capabilities, security enhancements, and Bluetooth connectivity to transmit asset information.

The devices have been based on the RSL10 Sensor Development Kit, a compact platform that combines the RSL10 System-in-Package (RSL10 SIP) alongside a number of environmental sensors. The RSL10 radio from ON Semiconductor, which supports advanced Bluetooth 5 features while providing the industry’s lowest power consumption in deep sleep and active modes. Using the impressive power management of the RSL10, and low consumption features of the Vault IC 40X, the IoT Beacon delivers long battery life and a duty cycle of 30 seconds.

The tamper-resistant FIPS and Common Criteria certified VaultIC40X microcontroller from WiSeKey allows the RSL10 to securely store and use digital certificates, providing mutual authentication and end-to-end security, a top priority for many IoT manufacturers particularly within the industrial space.

The VaultIC407 is used as toolbox by RSL10 for implementing the required security protocols. These protocols are provided back-end protection by WiSeKey's Hardware Security Module (NetHSM) hosted in their secure Swiss Cloud Service.

The IoT Secure Beacon uses a unique private key to protect the device against common types of cybersecurity threats including device cloning and replay attacks. It also ensures that transmitted data is uniquely signed and authenticated by the web domain authority.

WISeKey provided the services to provision the devices with strong digital identities: The provisioning is done in a secure factory environment certified Common Criteria EAL5+, while the identities themselves are endorsed by Webtrust, a worldwide-trusted Root Certification Authority.

 

A secured IoT Ecosystem

Further benefits of WISeKey’s technology comes by combining the use of personal identities and object identities, particularly in use-cases related to predictive maintenance. Every action (e.g., change of configuration/connection) made by a stakeholder interacting with the Secured IoT Ecosystem is digitally signed and stored in a block-chain. This provides legally binding and immutable records.

Sample Mobile Application

The IoT Secure Beacon will enable a number of innovative solutions within industrial IoT including secured asset tracking and cold-chain monitoring, helping manufacturers track their assets while giving them peace of mind in knowing that their information is safe and secure.

Subscribe or reach out to learn more about the secure beacon today and how WISeKey’s high-end range of secure microcontrollers can be used in your designs.

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