UL recognizes PSA Certified as a fast-track to secure IoT component qualification

NORTHBROOK, Ill., June 2, 2021 -- UL, the global safety science leader, today announced it will recognize PSA Certified as a fast-track for achieving UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification to help demonstrate that components incorporate industry best practices for Internet of Things (IoT) cybersecurity. This move reduces fragmentation in IoT security standards and will help to support more secure IoT ecosystems by allowing manufacturers to reuse their component security certifications and reduce overheads associated with third-party evaluation.

NXM's Autonomous Security™ software is the first component to achieve both PSA Certified Level 1 and PSA Certified Level 2 certifications from UL, as well as be qualified for UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification. These recognitions of NXM's autonomous IoT security software, as evaluated by UL, demonstrate that their component incorporates advanced IoT cybersecurity capabilities.

"We are honored to be the first cybersecurity software company to achieve both PSA Certified and UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification," said Scott Rankine, CEO of NXM. "Our Autonomous Security software leverages the advanced security capabilities of Arm^®-based chips, combined with independent security evaluations and collaboration on market-facing solutions with industry-leading organizations such as UL, to give consumers peace of mind that the connected products they purchase are designed to mitigate cybersecurity risks."

In 2019, UL was among seven co-founders of the PSA Certified framework. Originally spearheaded by Arm, a global provider of semiconductor design and silicon intellectual property development and licensing, with input from UL, the framework seeks to improve security in connected products. UL's new Secure IoT Component Qualification helps IoT product manufacturers identify third-party components that can benefit the security of their products. As part of the collaboration between PSA Certified and UL, both frameworks have achieved alignment in requirements. PSA Certified and UL have also agreed that meeting PSA Certified requirements offers a mapping and fast-track to UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification, which is also aligned to UL's IoT Security Rating framework, a security claim Verification and labeling solution for IoT products. UL will also recognize the PSA Root-of-Trust, as a capable root-of-trust implementation. The PSA Root of Trust was developed specifically for IoT products and designed to assist developers looking to cost-effectively implement IoT security.

Many IoT products rely on security capabilities offered by third-party components such as hardware chipsets for secure data storage or software components for secure communications. Utilizing a secure component that supports key security capabilities aligned to and also at the product level helps streamline a path for product manufacturers to ensure connected product security and obtain UL's IoT Security Rating.

PSA Certified components can obtain UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification, including a listing of specific component-applicable security capabilities. UL's review of the PSA Certified requirements determines which key security capabilities out of UL's IoT Security Rating framework can be met by the component. Through further UL assessment, component vendors are also invited to meet additional security capabilities toward further coverage of UL's IoT Security Rating levels. Through this process, UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification helps inform product manufacturers to support their connected product security.

"As part of UL's decades of cybersecurity experience and rapidly growing IoT security practice, we are proud to collaborate with innovative cybersecurity companies, such as NXM, to help advance IoT security in the marketplace," said Isabelle Noblanc, global vice president and general manager of UL's Identity Management and Security division. "Secure components and solutions, like NXM's achievement of both PSA Certified and UL's Secure IoT Component Qualification, emphasize the value UL places on secure ecosystems, secure product design and life cycle management, and helps give manufacturers confidence to bring secure connected products to market."

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SOURCE UL