Micron launches silicon-based SaaS platform for IoT edge devices

US-based semiconductor major Micron Technology introduced a silicon-based security-as-a-service platform for protecting internet of things (IoT) edge devices.

The Micron Authenta key management service (KMS) platform enables a cloud-first deployment model for a broad set of industrial and automotive applications, the company claimed in a statement. 

The platform allows installed Authenta-enabled devices to be switched on through a cloud-based service, mitigating some of the biggest challenges and complexities related to securing devices in a connected environment.

The number of connected internet of things devices deployed across markets such as automotive, enterprise, industrial control and connected home is expected to grow from 23 billion in 2019 to 30 billion by 2020.

Securing these devices remains a concern for system original equipment manufacturers, who are expecting a simple solution that is cost-effective and independent of their choice of system-on-a-chip (SoC) hardware. Micron claims its new solution equips OEMs to safeguard device functionality at the silicon level.

At the moment, industries have a common practice for protecting these diverse connected devices. Certain limitations remain. For example, if companies add more secure elements, it ends up being costly and difficult to scale. Likewise,  leveraging secure key injection in the SoC creates a fragmented architecture. At other times, industries do nothing to secure their devices, which can lead to compliance issues.

“Securing a diverse set of IoT edge devices through the complete product lifecycle — from the supply chain to in-field management — requires a novel, simple, scalable and cost-effective approach,” said Amit Gattani, senior director of embedded segment marketing for Micron’s Embedded Business Unit.