BlackBerry’s Certicom launches managed certificate service

Secure sensor networks and IoT applications

Certicom, a subsidiary of BlackBerry, has launched a new managed public key infrastructure certificate service for connected devices, unleashing the performance of its renowned security technology for a broad range of Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

This cost-effective service will help device manufacturers and service providers secure their IoT networks and ecosystems, ensuring that the devices they connect are known and trusted. The service puts security certificates under Certicom’s management, meaning customers can focus more on their core business and less on security infrastructure and management.

Last month, Certicom began issuing certificates for the smart meter initiative in the U.K., a market with over 104 million smart meters and home energy management devices that conform to ZigBee Smart Energy specifications. Certicom designed this new managed PKI certificate service to scale up to hundreds of millions of connected devices.

Since 2008, Certicom has issued nearly 60-million ZigBee device certificates to secure smart meters and energy management devices worldwide. Members of the ZigBee Alliance use the certificates to enroll devices into a network and protect sensitive data with powerful, efficient Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) from Certicom.

“Certicom’s application security framework implements strong device identity and supports role- and policy-based access control, allowing alliance members to provide customers with an enterprise-grade secure sensor network,” says Ryan Maley, director of strategic marketing, ZigBee Alliance.

“This announcement further demonstrates Certicom’s leadership in Internet of Things security and enables highly secure ZigBee devices for every home and small business in Great Britain.”

Jim Alfred, vice-president, BlackBerry Technology Solutions, Certicom said:

“Strong cryptography and entity authentication are the foundation of IoT security,”“When you manage remote devices, you need to know that you can trust the devices and that your communications network is secured. Certicom device certificates can provide that assurance. Offering innovations in device security is part of BlackBerry’s ongoing mission to be a leading provider of device and application management solutions.”

The Certicom managed PKI certificate service is available to device manufacturers and service providers, whether on the BlackBerry IoT Platform or as part of another connected device ecosystem or private network, with options for Elliptic Curve, hybrid, or legacy RSA-based device certificates.