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Secure IoT Firmware For RISC-V Processors

Credits: Embedded World Conference 2021 Proceedings, http://www.embedded-world.eu

Abstract — Building secure RISC-V devices is challenging as the RISC-V ISA doesn’t specify the hardware blocks necessary for the trusted execution of the many 3rd party components of the software stack. RISC-V developers are left alone figuring out how to shield trusted code from unverified 3rd party software libraries. In this paper, we introduce the industry-first secure IoT stack for RISC-V. We describe and explain all hardware and software components necessary to build state-of-the-art device, firmware, and cloud management service. These include RISC-V 32-bit SoC, MultiZone Trusted Execution Environment, TCP/IP connectivity, TLS/ECC cryptography, and MQTT client and broker providing telemetry and OTA applications deployment and firmware updates. All components are built on free and open standards, distributed under permissive licensing, and freely available for download from GitHub.

INTRODUCTION

Building secure IoT firmware for embedded devices is challenging. These resource-constrained devices typically lack the hardware resources necessary for the trusted execution of the many complex 3rd party software components required for secure operations. And state-of-the-art security features like secure boot, remote attestation, authenticated access to commercial cloud services, and over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates require a number of complex 3rd party software components [1,2]. Read more of this post

Secure IoT Firmware For Cortex-M Processors

Credits: Embedded World Conference 2021 Proceedings, http://www.embedded-world.eu

Abstract — Developing secure IoT applications is challenging. Traditional Arm(v7) Cortex M devices lack TrustZone like functionality for the safe execution of the many 3rd party components of the software stack. And the upgrade to new Cortex M devices with TrustZone inexorably leads to a lengthy and expensive system redesign. In this paper, we introduce an alternative path to a TrustZone upgrade, based on an innovative hardware-enforced software-defined Trusted Execution Environment. We describe and detail all software components necessary to build a complete state-of-the-art secure IoT firmware for any Cortex M device – with or without TrustZone. These include the MultiZone Trusted Execution Environment, TCP/IP connectivity, TLS/ECC cryptography, and MQTT client providing telemetry and OTA updates. All components are built on free and open standards, distributed under permissive licensing, and freely available for download from GitHub.

INTRODUCTION

Building secure IoT firmware is challenging. State-of-the-art security features like secure boot, authenticated access to commercial cloud services, and over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates require a number of complex 3rd party software components [1,2]. These libraries are difficult to integrate, expose the system to increased attack surface, and inevitably lead to the dangerous execution of trusted and untrusted code in the same chip – where one single faulty instruction has the potential to compromise the integrity of the whole system – i.e., software vulnerabilities and backdoors [1,3]. Read more of this post

SANTA CLARA, CA – Cesare Garlati, chief security strategist of prpl Foundation and co-founder and co-chair of the Mobile Working Group at Cloud Security Alliance, will give a keynote speech on putting security into the future of Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and mobile at the Cloud Security Summit in Milan on Wednesday 18^th May. The summit is the first edition of an annual event which aims to create dialogue between institutions, industry and small and medium European enterprises, and promote the sharing of information and experiences with a look to Europe and beyond.

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Secure IoT Firmware For RISC-V Processors

Secure IoT Firmware For Cortex-M Processors

IoT is already here – and it is broken

About Cesare Garlati

Twitter @CesareGarlati

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