Publication
At the core of IoT-enabled equipment, embedded systems run the show. Unlike their early predecessors, today’s iterations benefit from connectivity, expanding their potential as well as their risk. These purpose-built devices have found their calling in industrial IoT and the automotive industry, where smart vehicles are the sum of embedded systems.
Embedded systems are typically built around microprocessors that execute predefined tasks under limited time constraints, interacting with hardware through sensors and actuators.
Characteristics of embedded systems include the following:
Software & hardware integration
Limited resources (energy, memory, etc.)
Real-time responses
Defined tasks
Today’s embedded systems evolved from the invention of microprocessors in the 1970s. As their applications grew, they became more frequently “embedded” into devices to perform certain tasks. The miniaturization of computer components and improved connectivity have expanded their usage, but ultimately, embedded systems are nothing new.
Why then, have they reentered the conversation? In short, because of the Internet of Things. Without embedded systems, there is no IoT. IoT technologies have transformed manufacturing, unlocking a host of hyper-efficient solutions…along with unprecedented vulnerabilities.
In industrial IoT, sensors bridge hardware and software, turning physical operations into actionable data. Embedded systems are designed to interface with sensors, converting physical measurements into digital data that is then shared and/or automatically acted upon.
Through a combination of edge computing and cloud computing, embedded systems enable remote monitoring, data analytics, real-time automation and other advanced capabilities that make IIoT a strategic advantage for manufacturers.
These task-specific microprocessors, paired with evolutions in connectivity, are in constant communication with cloud-based systems and nearby devices—the basis for industry 4.0, the current era of smart manufacturing in which devices “talk” with the world around them.
Benefits abound: Predictive maintenance, rapid crisis intervention, decreased costs and resources, improved efficiency and more.
Most automobiles have incorporated computer components since the 1990s. Embedded systems that control a vehicle’s subsystems or electrical systems are known as electronic control units (ECUs). A modern vehicle has dozens of ECUs operating at one time. Examples of embedded systems include the following:
Automatic transmission
Airbag control
Parking assistance
Anti-lock braking (ABS)
Temperature control
Lighting
Electronic toll collection
Lane keeping
Navigation
Audio
Why are ECUs and the automotive industry a perfect match? In large part, because of real-time decision making. In automobiles, these embedded systems interface with sensors and actuators to monitor and intervene rapidly. In the case of airbag deployment, for example, the system must detect and trigger inflation within 30 milliseconds. Lane keeping also illustrates the importance of real-time monitoring and response.
When it comes to vehicles, faster response times save lives. The ECUs embedded into OEM equipment facilitate the rapid reactions necessary to function safely.
Before ICT evolutions turned embedded systems into connected devices, risks were substantially lower. Today’s embedded systems introduce substantial vulnerabilities:
Over-the-air (OTA) updates: Embedded systems often rely on software updates pushed from the backend. OEMs deliver these updates via WiFi or cellular networks. ECUs by default trust the internet network over which that data is sent. With the interconnectedness of systems, this presents major security risks, including the potential for man-in-the-middle attacks.
Device-to-device communication: “Connectedness” characterizes the current wave of new technologies driving smart manufacturing, automated driving, healthtech and beyond. Device-to-device communication facilitates automation and newfound efficiency, but also makes each device a gateway into the entire network of devices.
Taking control of supply chain security with end-to-end encryption
A manufacturer’s operations are only as secure as the weakest embedded system in the supply chain. These systems have varying functionalities and varying degrees of security—a problem when, as mentioned, each system is a potential gateway that compromises the whole network.
It is impossible for an automotive OEM to oversee the security practices of each of its manufacturing partners. Instead, it can use encryption keys to ensure that any data exchanging “hands” is protected. It achieves this through end-to-end encryption.
Partially for this reason, automotive industry regulations, such as UNECE R155, compel OEMs to prioritize encryption key management systems. A customized KMS solution can ensure end-to-end encryption fit for the manufacturing and supply chain realities of the automotive industry.
The right KMS solution lets manufacturers embrace the advantages introduced by IoT technology and connected devices while mitigating the risks.
How can KMS help secure OEM supply chains? Let’s work through your complex needs & existing processes. Talk to a Keys&More expert about our customized solutions.
