Software Integrity Protection

The integrity of embedded systems can be ensured through the use of cryptographic methods in a clearly defined process and a secure hardware device for key management and state storage. With CodeMeter, Wibu-Systems offers a smart card-based protection system, which is available for industrial interfaces. CodeMeter supports common operating systems like Windows, Mac OS X, Linux as well as Windows Embedded, Real Time Linux, VxWorks and PLCs like CODESYS and more. It contains a secure implementation of symmetric and asymmetric encryption methods (AES, RSA, ECC) as well as hash functions (SHA-256), functions for signature validation (ECDSA) and a random number generator. CodeMeter includes all the available tools needed to implement all the steps described above for integrity protection, software protection and the prevention of code tampering.

The IoT has the potential to create huge value from the real-time data collected from sensors and embedded systems in any network. But with the increased value comes risk. The ability to connect with practically any device over a network connection makes it possible for malicious users who spend every day probing for vulnerabilities and weaknesses to find many more targets. When they find a way in, they can bring entire networks down, steal data and blackmail the owners. A report by Kaspersky Labs based on a survey of hacking activity around the world estimated attacks had been staged on more than 40 percent of all industrial control system computers in the first half of 2018 alone.