STMicroelectronics announces Platform Security architecture to enhance the protection of connected smart devices.

     STMicroelectronics, a leading global supplier of semiconductors across multiple electronic applications and the world's leading vendor of Arm microcontrollers for Internet of Things (IoT) devices, has announced a Platform Security Architecture (PSA). PSA is a key technology for achieving best-in-class pervasive network security. The STM32H7 high-performance microcontroller from ST uses the same safety concepts as the PSA framework and integrates these concepts with the enhanced safety features and services of the STM32 product family.

     Individual users and organizations increasingly rely on connected electronics to manage time, monitor health, handle social events, enjoy or provide services, and increase productivity. Preventing interactions with unauthorized devices is critical to protecting device identity, personal information, physical assets, and intellectual property. As the scale and penetration of iot increases, both citizen safety and national security are threatened. Device manufacturers must constantly innovate security systems to combat the endless stream of hacker intrusion methods, and PSA enables them to implement the most cutting-edge security mechanisms at an appropriate cost on small devices with limited resources.

     MichelBufa, General Manager of ST MicroController Products, said: "To ensure the success of the Internet of Things, the first and foremost address security issues. Earning the trust of all end-users, from individual consumers to businesses and government agencies, is critical to the widespread adoption of iot. Arm's PSA platform makes the core security features of autonomous iot devices, such as device identification and software over-the-air updates (OTAs), more economical and scalable. We have integrated it into the STM32 family of microcontrollers, including the STM32H7 high-performance family, to work with existing security features.

     St's STM32H7MCU integrates hardware security features such as a hardware random number generator (TRNG) and an advanced password encryption processor to simplify the security design of embedded applications and global iot systems against cyber attacks such as network snooping, spoofing or man-in-the-middle intervention. In addition, secure firmware loading helps Oems ensure that product programming is secure and reliable, even in non-in-house production environments such as foundry or program development companies.

     To enable secure loading, security keys and software services pre-installed in the microcontroller allow Oems to deliver encrypted firmware to the foundry, eliminating the possibility of code interception, copying, or manipulation of the firmware, which can be used to write code to and validate the device. Establish the trusted root mechanism needed for devices to connect to end-user networks to complete remote over-the-air updates (OTAs) to download and install security patches or software upgrades during the device lifecycle.

     PaulWilliamson, Am vice president and general manager of the iot IP Business Group, said: "By launching the PSA Platform Security Architecture, a common industrial framework for securing trillions of future iot devices, Arm is working with the ecosystem to revolutionise the economics of security technology. ST has embedded hardware security modules and firmware loading services in the STM32H7Cortex-M microcontroller, leveraging Arm's PSA concept to drive security technology innovation in applications such as communication gateways and iot devices.