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IoT, Embedded and Hardware Security

Secure Boot and Chain of Trust

We examine the device's boot chain and test whether it starts with modified firmware.

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What it is

Secure Boot ensures the device runs only manufacturer-approved software. Each stage must verify the next before starting it. The review assesses whether this chain is unbroken from bootloader to application. If any link is weak, the device may start with modified firmware.

Scope

  • Assessing whether each stage of the boot chain verifies the next
  • Testing whether the device rejects modified firmware
  • Assessing how the root of trust is established in hardware
  • Whether the bootloader runs unverified code from external memory
  • Identifying ways to disable secure boot

The need

When organizations need it

  • When secure boot is being designed or before it is approved on your device.
  • When the device will be used in a physically accessible environment.
  • When it is questioned whether modified firmware can be loaded onto devices in the field.

Method

How we work

  1. Chain

    We analyze each stage from bootloader to application and the verification between them.

  2. Testing

    We test in a controlled way whether each stage rejects modified firmware.

  3. Root

    We determine how the root of trust is stored and identify the weakest link in the chain.

Outcome

What you have at the end

You clearly see how each stage of your boot chain is verified and know for certain whether modified firmware can be loaded onto the device.

Frequently asked questions

Are secure boot and firmware encryption the same?

No. Secure boot ensures only approved software runs. Encryption makes firmware harder to read. Their purposes are different.

Is there a baseline standard for consumer IoT?

ETSI EN 303 645 recommends verifying device software with secure boot mechanisms. We align the review with this standard.

IoT, Embedded and Hardware Security

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Tell us briefly what you need. We will agree on the scope and timing together in the first meeting.

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