Renesas adopts Crypto Quantique to secure IoT MCUs

  • February 10, 2021
  • Steve Rogerson

Japanese electronics giant Renesas is to adopt Crypto Quantique’s QuarkLink security platform as part of its microcontroller (MCU) ecosystem for the IoT.

Crypto Quantique, a specialist in quantum-driven cyber security for the IoT, is collaborating with Renesas to add its universal IoT security platform, QuarkLink, to the Renesas secure microcontroller ecosystem.

QuarkLink supports devices that use Renesas’ SCE secure cryptographic engine and TSIP trusted secure IP blocks across the RA, RX and RZ microcontroller families.

Using Crypto Quantique’s cryptographic APIs, the QuarkLink platform will enable Renesas customers rapidly and securely to connect the roots-of-trust embedded in their microcontrollers to servers. Thousands of devices can be automatically onboarded within seconds, overcoming the scalability challenges presented by alternatives, without compromising security.

QuarkLink handles all aspects of the process. It provisions secure firmware and cryptographic keys, then automates secure onboarding to any platform or multiple platforms simultaneously. AWS, Microsoft and Mosquito are among the cloud services supported, with more to follow. QuarkLink then manages security monitoring, including firmware encryption, signing and secure updates over-the-air, and certificate and key renewal and revocation.

“The semiconductor industry has been struggling with the trade-off between security and scalability in IoT deployments for the last few years,” said Shahram Mossayebi, CEO of UK-based Crypto Quantique. “Renesas has been at the forefront of tackling this challenge with its secure microcontrollers and it’s a privilege to further advance their efforts with our technology.”

Mohammed Umar Dogar, Renesas’ senior director of global business development, added: “Crypto Quantique’s software, combined with Renesas’ secure microcontrollers, provides robust, end-to-end security for a wide range of IoT applications, and their hardware IP has the ability to enable much higher levels of security for next-generation devices.”

Crypto Quantique has created a secure end-to-end IoT security platform. At its heart is quantum-driven semiconductor hardware IP, called QDID, that generates multiple, unique, unforgeable cryptographic keys for devices manufactured using standard CMOS processes. The keys do not need to be stored and can be used independently by multiple applications on demand.

When combined with cryptographic APIs from the company’s QuarkLink universal IoT security platform, this creates a secure bridge between silicon, device, software and provider.

The company, which is based in London, was co-founded by Shahram Mossayebi (CEO), an expert in cryptosystems, and Patrick Camilleri (CTO), a semiconductor designer with experience in complex parallel computer systems.