Embedded Security

What is embedded security?

Embedded security refers to the security measures implemented in embedded systems to protect them from attacks and threats. Embedded security encompasses a variety of aspects and individual measures. The following four elements are fundamental:

• Security design: Security considerations should already be taken into account in the design phase. This includes the identification of possible attack vectors and the implementation of security measures to prevent them.
• Firmware security: The firmware, operating system and software components in embedded systems must be secure as they can represent potential attack surfaces.
• Protection against attacks: Embedded systems should implement mechanisms to protect against various types of attacks such as denial of service attacks, malware infections and unauthorized access.
• Updating firmware: As embedded systems are often in use over a long period of time, it is important that the firmware is updated regularly to close known security gaps and ward off new threats.

Why is protection so important?

Embedded systems are at the heart of numerous applications - from consumer electronics and process control systems to vehicle technologies. They are present almost everywhere, even in critical areas - which is why maximum reliability and security are extremely important.

Despite their compact size and limited computing capacity, they must not have any weak points, because an attack can not only lead to data loss and system failures, but can also result in physical damage. At a time when many of these systems are networked with the internet, they are becoming attractive targets for cyber criminals.

Securing embedded systems is therefore not only a question of security, but also of reliability and trust in advanced technology.

How does embedded security work?

Embedded security protects embedded systems from threats. It uses a variety of techniques: from secure booting and encryption to authentication and intrusion detection. At emtrion, we use advanced tools such as Threat Modeling, TrustZone and Jailhouse. Together with emCVE-Watch, we offer a seamless security architecture.

We identify potential attack vectors as early as the design phase. We then implement targeted security measures. Firmware, operating system and software components must be robust and remain so over a long period of time. They are potential targets, whether through malware, denial of service attacks or unauthorized access.

As embedded systems are often in use for years, regular firmware updates are crucial.

What are the biggest challenges in embedded security?

The three biggest challenges in embedded security are:

• Limited resources: embedded systems have limited resources, including memory, computing power and energy. This makes it difficult to implement security measures.
• Complexity: With complex embedded systems, it is difficult to identify the attack vectors and implement appropriate security measures.
• Life cycle: Embedded systems can be in use over a long period of time. They therefore need to be updated regularly, which can be a challenge depending on the system.

The solutions from emtrion

As experienced specialists, we offer you all the services you need for embedded security, both for third-party and in-house hardware.

• Embedded security concepts for embedded systems in accordance with the IEC 62443 standard, suitable for third-party and in-house hardware.
• Maintenance and security checks for existing systems.
• Security checks using various analysis techniques and tools such as Threat Modeling, TrustZone, Jailhouse, Trusted Execution Environment (TEE), Trusted Platform Module (TPM) and emCVE-Watch.