RIoT Secure - Simplifying IoT Security with Innovative Lifecycle Management of Microcontrollers

Yahoo Finance - April 20, 2023

RIoT Secure, a Stockholm-based technology company founded in 2017 by engineers and entrepreneurs Aaron Ardiri and Bjorn de Jounge, is revolutionizing IoT security through its unique lifecycle management platform for resource-constrained microcontrollers. By enabling developers to securely deploy and maintain IoT devices, RIoT Secure aims to embed security within the very foundation of software development for IoT solutions—ensuring security is available for all IoT devices, regardless of their computational and memory limitations.

The IoT Security Challenge

The IoT industry is vast, ranging from simple sensors to complex management systems, and security remains a significant challenge. Over the past decade, IoT security has been hindered by slow standardization processes for end-to-end security and device lifecycle management. Additionally, many developers lack the embedded skills necessary to ensure that low-powered devices meet stringent security requirements. These challenges contribute to the high failure rate of IoT projects, which often incur unexpected costs when attempting to integrate security and communication protocols.

RIoT Secure's Innovative Solution

RIoT Secure’s lifecycle management platform addresses these challenges by providing developers with tools to focus on sensors, actuators, and edge computing, while ensuring the secure exchange of data between trusted sources and minimizing cyberattack risks. The platform features a variety of technologies, including cryptographic solutions optimized for low-powered devices and network-agnostic developer modules. It also includes a complete lifecycle management suite designed specifically for IoT ecosystems—enabling secure communication, over-the-air firmware updates, and seamless integration with existing platforms.

The company’s platform is built with security by design principles in mind, with much of the source code developed from scratch for better security and auditability. The solution also provides a separation of concerns between different microcontrollers, offering developers the freedom to choose microcontrollers, operating systems, environments, and programming languages that suit their specific application.

Real-World Successes and Impact

RIoT Secure’s platform has been successfully commercialized through participation in the EU Horizon 2020 program with EIT Digital. This collaboration resulted in pilot case studies with major clients like Comau and SAS ground service handling, where the platform was retrofitted into telematics devices for increased safety, automated billing, and enhanced security on the tarmac.

Aaron Ardiri shared that the RIoT Secure platform surpassed legacy telematics systems by providing more accurate and valuable environmental data, particularly for location tracking and incident reporting. This data proved instrumental in diagnosing accidents and creating accurate reports.

Enhanced Protection and Cost Reduction

The platform's design offers ultimate protection against hackers and data snooping by isolating devices from the outside world through hardware abstraction. All data and firmware are optimized to reduce network traffic, are fully encrypted, and include integrity checks to ensure continuous security for IoT devices. This enables customers to manage their IoT deployments in real time, lowering operational and maintenance costs while eliminating the need for physical presence to update or service devices.

Looking Ahead

As RIoT Secure continues to expand its footprint in the IoT space, the company is exploring the PSA-certified standard for their system and engaging with embedded development communities to further enhance their offerings. Their platform’s ability to securely manage the lifecycle of IoT devices and support third-party integrations positions it as a leader in securing the rapidly growing IoT ecosystem.