Home security is an increasing concern as crime rates continue to rise around
the world. The smart lock market is projected to grow to over 2.7 billion by
2023 across various applications including residential, commercial and
industrial. However, successfully securing a home is heavily dependent on how
secure the smart lock is. The type of security attacks continue to evolve and
so should the countermeasures. Failure to incorporate security measures can
lead to unauthorized access to the smart lock and to other devices on the
network.
Common Security Attacks
Table 1. shows common security attacks on a smart lock including
man-in-the-middle attacks where user credentials are stolen to open the smart
lock or to block access from authorized users. When firmware updates are made,
information disclosure attacks attempt to extract firmware or intercept OTA
updates that lead to smart lock malfunction and confidential data theft. In a
factory environment, these attacks can result in IP data extraction, theft and
financial losses.
Table 1. Smart Lock Common Security Attacks and Countermeasures
Smart Lock Design with Security Features
NXP has developed a broad portfolio of scalable security solutions that
provide a foundation for achieving the most effective security levels based on
the potential security attacks on a system. Figure 1. shows a high-end smart
lock solution that addresses the attacks shown in Table 1.
Figure 1. High-End Smart Lock Block Diagram
The i.MX 8M MPU incorporates software-based security based on Arm TrustZone
(TZ), which enables a secure and isolated execution environment that handles
trusted operations including communication to external memory and software
updates. To further isolate protected operations, the SE050 secure element
provides support of main TPM functionalities including physical isolation that
protects keys, tamper resistant protection and software authentication.
It also creates a secure channel for data transfer to the MPU.
The combination of the i.MX 8M MPU and SE050 secure element provide a
countermeasure to maximize security and maintain system integrity throughout
the lifecycle of the smart lock. This mitigates smart lock unauthorized access
and helps ensure a secure building.
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