Freescale Drives for a Secure Internet of Things

Uniquely qualified for the task, an embedded processing powerhouse extends its security leadership for the benefit of its customers and the larger industry

Nuremberg, Germany, Feb. 24, 2015 – 

As the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to gain momentum, Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE:FSL) and its partners are tackling the most dire challenge the young movement has faced to date - the alarming lack of unified guidelines for ensuring the security of IoT applications.

Gartner, Inc. forecasts that 4.9 billion connected things will be in use in 2015, up 30 percent from 2014, and the figure will reach 25 billion by 2020*. The analyst firm also projects that by 2017, 50 percent of IoT solutions will originate in startups that are less than three years old**.

Meanwhile, the specter of an insecure and dangerous IoT is becoming increasingly worrisome; last month, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission publicly raised concerns of security risks associated with the rising number of interconnected systems and devices, and a top U.S. news organization reported that DARPA had wirelessly hacked into a major automotive OEM's braking system. Additionally, a recent report from tech giant HP found that many IoT end-nodes are inherently insecure, with 70 percent of evaluated devices transmitting data via unencrypted network services.

Intent on applying its extensive expertise and proven technologies to address these trends, Freescale today announced several landmark programs intended to help establish standards and drive industry metrics for IoT security assurance. These initiatives include:

• Teaming with the Embedded Microprocessor Benchmarking Consortium (EEMBC) to identify critical embedded security gaps and collaborate with other consortium members to establish guidelines that help IoT OEMs and system designers better secure IoT transactions and endpoints. Founding members of this coalition will convene in May at the second annual IoT Developers Conference in Santa Clara, California.
• Establishing Freescale Security Labs - Centers of Excellence (CoEs) at Freescale's headquarters and other locations worldwide, where the company, its partners and customers will focus on enhancement of IoT security technologies spanning from the cloud to the end-node. Alongside these CoEs is the commitment to allocate up to 10 percent of the company's annual R&D budget on IoT security technologies.
• Creating a program dedicated to educating startups on IoT security best practices and providing best-in-class security support through Freescale's partner ecosystem.

"Security challenges represent nothing less than an existential threat to the IoT movement, before it really has a chance to take off," said Gregg Lowe, President and CEO of Freescale Semiconductor. "Freescale is addressing these challenges head-on to help ensure a future where secure solutions power every node of the IoT -- from end devices to the network to the cloud."

A proven track record of security and safety

Freescale has been driving security standards for decades, making networks more secure, cars more safe and connected devices more resilient to attacks. With a vast portfolio of technologies and comprehensive system-level view into IoT applications, the company is uniquely qualified to help to tackle the IoT end-node to cloud security challenge.

About Freescale

Freescale is the global leader in embedded processing solutions, advancing the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. From microprocessors and microcontrollers to sensors, analog ICs and connectivity - our technologies are the foundation to the innovations that make our world greener, safer, healthier and more connected

Freescale embedded semiconductor and connectivity solutions power your cars, networks, medical devices, appliances, smart mobile devices and more. As a global leader of embedded processing solutions, Freescale provides vital technologies for innovations in the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets.

Freescale s vast product portfolio includes 8- and 16-bit microcontrollers, 32-bit microcontrollers & processors, digital signal processors & controllers, analog & power management, customer specific ICs & custom SOCs, RF and sensors. Freescale s software and development solutions take you beyond the silicon, helping to bring your embedded applications to life.

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