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How to Build Trust in IoT Device Security with Proven Authentication Methods

Internet of Things (IoT)
Global IoT Security Solutions: This article explores proven methods to build trust and protect device integrity across diverse global markets.

The market for IoT (Internet of Things) devices has exploded in the last decade.

Think about everything you use today, including smart watches, medical devices, smart TVs, connected cars, and more. 

While IoT devices provide an unprecedented level of convenience, flexibility, and accessibility, their widespread adoption has wide-reaching implications for IoT device security. Weak encryption methods and less clearly defined security standards for many devices make them vulnerable to cyberattacks. Given the sensitive private data these devices carry, this is a rapidly growing concern.

While manufacturers have identified unique security requirements for IoT devices and taken proactive steps to reduce risk, there are still ongoing challenges with many products on the market and numerous examples of attacks related to IoT vulnerabilities.

Here are just a few examples: hacked baby monitor cameras, weak smartwatch security, and even AirPlay security flaws have led to invasions of privacy, compromised security, and even manufacturer bankruptcies.

Properly securing IoT devices promotes consumer safety and privacy, the manufacturer’s reputation, and the success of business operations. Read on to learn more about how authentication and trust can be used to enhance IoT device security.

Key Trust and Authentication Elements of IoT Device Security

IoT device security rests on several components and best practices. Establishing and following them is crucial for producing and maintaining secure devices that malicious actors cannot compromise.

Root of Trust (RoT)

Root of Trust (RoT) is a hardware or software component of an IoT device that is highly secure and tamper-resistant. It ensures that the device runs authorized code and operates on legitimate hardware. RoT stores cryptographic keys for digital certificates and provides a unique signature for the device, identifying and authenticating it on the network. RoT lays the foundation for security as the first link of a trust chain, whose ability to verify and authenticate a device on a network is integral and immutable. 

A HSM (Hardware Security Module), a highly secure and thus recommended hardware device for storing cryptographic keys, can act as a RoT. One RoT can manage trust for many devices, making it a highly scalable component of IoT security.

Secure Boot Process

Where a root of trust is the foundation of security of an IoT device, secure boot is another layer that relies on the immutable trustworthiness of the RoT to run authenticity checks on the device’s software before it’s loaded.

The secure boot process begins when the device powers on, verifying the digital signatures of boot images and code using a trusted public key embedded in the device. This ensures only authenticated and untampered firmware or operating system components are loaded.

When the bootloader file is checked and verified to be authentic, secure boot checks the operating system and its other functions as well before they’re given the green light to run. Secure boot ensures that any malware or corrupted code cannot be executed, whether on purpose or by accident, and thus will not jeopardize device security.

Device Certificates

Because each IoT device needs a unique digital identity to connect to a network, assigning it a digital certificate is one of the more accessible ways to enable stronger authentication verified by a trusted certificate authority (CA). X.509 certificates verify the identity of the IoT device connecting to the network.

Managing digital certificates for IoT devices requires as much thought as PKI for enterprise environments. The sheer scale of the IoT certificate lifecycle management demands automation for manufacturers and enterprises..

Mutual Authentication

Ensuring that both the device and the server are legitimate—mutual authentication—is critical for preserving security.

Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks are a common threat when mutual authentication is weak or absent. In these attacks, a malicious actor can intercept, read, or even alter data exchanged between two parties—often without their knowledge. Protocols like TLS support mutual authentication, but must be properly configured and used alongside up-to-date cryptographic standards and valid digital certificates to provide strong protection against such threats.

Key Management

Most modern digital certificates employ asymmetric encryption with the potential to strengthen the security of IoT devices. However, symmetric encryption with a single key is still more common because of its efficiency and deployment simplicity. Proper key management and safeguarding of the key becomes paramount as potential loss or compromise of that single key jeopardizes the IoT ecosystem’s security overall.

Common IoT Authentication Methods

A strong PKI strategy is one of the pillars of enterprise security posture, especially for IoT device manufacturers contending with a large number of devices. This can be costly and logistically complex to manage, but PKIaaS for IoT has been rising in popularity to assist with the complexities of certificate lifecycle management and automation.

There are other authentication methods for IoT.

Pre-shared key (PSK) is a type of symmetric encryption that relies on a secret key securely shared between the device and the server for mutual authentication. Due to the simplicity of implementation and minimal compute required, a PSK is a common authentication method for IoT devices. However, PSKs are incredibly dependent on robust key security. If compromised, both the device and the server are at risk. Further, using PSKs at scale may prove cumbersome since regularly updating and issuing new keys is difficult to do at scale.

Zero-Trust Network Access is a security model that treats every IoT device on the network as untrusted unless successfully verified and validated every time it requests access to resources. This approach prevents trust-based attacks, such as attempts at impersonating trusted devices, since no access request is automatically accepted without verification, and precludes lateral movement attacks from taking place by requiring continuous authentication and authorization. PKI and machine identity automation are essential components to implementing zero trust.

Structuring Authentication Between IoT Entities

Strong authentication between IoT entities can also be structured in several ways:

  • One-way authentication demands that only one party verifiably identifies itself, while the other party is not authenticated.
  • Two-way authentication, discussed above as mutual authentication, ensures that both entities authenticate each other.
  • Three-way authentication employs a central authority that assists both parties in authentication, authenticating each individually and with each other.
  • Distributed authentication relies on direct authentication between communicating devices.
  • Centralized authentication utilizes a trusted third party to manage and distribute authentication certificates.

Build Secure Devices with PKI That Scales

IoT security doesn’t have to be complex. With billions of devices coming online, now is the time to simplify your approach – without sacrificing trust.

PKI technology for IoT can safeguard your devices. Given the vulnerabilities with these always-on, always-in-use devices, the need for continuous security improvement in the IoT market is apparent. Ensure the security of your IoT devices with trusted authentication solutions. 

Discover how our PKI technology for IoT can safeguard your devices today. If you have any questions, our security experts are available to help – simply schedule a customized demo here.