A New Zero-Trust Model for Securing Embedded Systems
March 3, 2019 4 Comments
Credits: Embedded World Conference 2019 Proceedings, http://www.embedded-world.eu
Abstract — The attack surface in embedded systems has grown exponentially as connectivity requirements are increasingly met with the integration of readily available 3rd party libraries. A new Zero Trust Model is required to address the intrinsic security threat posed by the resulting monolithic firmware. This paper explores a new modern approach based on open source hardware and software where security through separation is achieved via a state-of-the-art multi-domain Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) for RISC-V processors.
INTRODUCTION
Embedded devices are a part of the daily lives of people all around the world. As devices get more personal and become placed in increasingly sensitive environments, the security of those devices becomes paramount. Security is a multi-tier approach, with different solutions being used across the industry depending on device capabilities and functionalities. Most security challenges faced by those resource-constrained devices that make up the Internet of Things can be minimized by enforcing physical separation between functional blocks and by properly implementing established encryption schemas to protect data in transit and at rest.