Keysight has joined a US government initiative to improve IoT security and has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Skylo to extend its cellular testing expertise to non-terrestrial networks (NTNs).

Keysight will be using fellow California company Skylo’s test cases to create a certification programme for 3GPP 5G release 17 NTN chipsets, modules and devices using the NB-IoT protocol over NTN.

Keysight is supporting the US government voluntary national standard for consumer IoT cyber-security labelling programme. Known as the US Cyber Trust Mark, the programme outlines a set of cyber-security standards devised by the National Institute of Standards & Technology (Nist) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). 

Keysight says it makes it easy and cost-effective for manufacturers to comply with the IoT labelling standard and achieve certification right now with its IoT security assessment. This turnkey cyber-security certification platform enables automated validation through a point-and-click interface, allowing device makers to bring new IoT products to market quickly without hiring a large team of cyber-security experts.

Unlike disparate alternatives, which require users to assemble and separately manage multiple tools, the IoT security assessment combines traditional vulnerability assessment with a patented protocol fuzzing engine to provide a report on discovered security flaws.

Reports include information regarding OWasp open web application security project vulnerabilities such as weak authentication and encryption, expired certificates, Android vulnerabilities and ADB exposures, known CVEs, and embedded flaws in protocol stacks, such as Bluetooth Low Energy attacks like Sweyntooth and Braktooth.

“The US Cyber Trust Mark will give consumers a way to know if the smart devices they’re purchasing are secure, and give companies a label to show their products meet cyber-security standards,” said Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor. “Together with our industry partners, we are making our homes, classrooms and workplaces safer and less vulnerable to cyber attacks.”

Satish Dhanasekaran, Keysight CEO, added:”Connected devices of all types are reshaping the world around us, from healthcare and connected cars to consumer electronics and industrial controls. As a leader in IoT, 6G and other new technologies, Keysight strongly supports the new IoT cyber-security labelling standards introduced by the White House. We are pleased to share our expertise and tools to help enable device makers quickly meet these critical new standards to safeguard consumers and manufacturers.”

Keysight and Skylo have signed an MoU extending Keysight’s cellular testing expertise to NTN by using Skylo’s test cases. The use of 5G satellite-to-ground connections is rapidly gaining traction as mobile operators and their customers look to extend secure, reliable and high-bandwidth connectivity across their entire geographical footprint and surrounding waters. Widespread NTN deployments can enable industries such as agriculture, energy, healthcare and transportation by using low-cost and low-powered NB-IoT devices for applications including remote sensing, asset tracking and surveillance.

Using Keysight’s NTN device acceptance products, the certification plan will validate NB-IoT NTN chipsets, modules and devices for use on Skylo’s network. Keysight’s automation ensures repeatability of results while optimising for test times by integrating 4G and 5G networks with real-world channel emulation. This method enables end-to-end testing for terrestrial and NTN networks in the lab, realistically simulating orbit trajectories for holistic verification of the performance of non-terrestrial infrastructures and dual-node devices.

Keysight NTN device acceptance builds on its 5G network emulation, a wireless network emulator platform supporting 5G NR and NB-IoT NTN technologies in a single platform. The NTN device acceptance also includes orbit emulation technology from Keysight’s 5G channel emulation, which is designed to emulate the impairments of complex 3D real-world radio channel conditions.

Skylo’s network is based on 3GPP 5G release-17 specifications and is live in certain geographical regions. While grounded in 3GPP specifications, much of the network development operates on Skylo’s standards-plus approach. Skylo’s engineers add additional technical specifications to improve the functionality, interoperability and ubiquity of the satellite-based network over and above the 3GPP standards, improving the user experience.

“Skylo specialises in delivering NTN services that enable devices to connect directly over existing satellite networks,” said Andrew Nuttall, chief technology officer at Skylo. “We are pleased to partner with Keysight to accelerate our certification programme to unlock a whole ecosystem of NB-NTN chipsets, modules and devices. This partnership will solidify our commitment to connectivity, innovation and our role as a global NTN leader.”

Lucas Hansen, vice president at Keysight, added: “Keysight plays a critical role to enable our customers to bring this amazing technology to market. NTN will transform global connectivity and unleash satellite services to the broad market. It’s been great to collaborate with Andrew and the Skylo team to accelerate the deployment of the NTN devices to digitally connect all parts of the world.”