Thirdwayv Launches AppAuth IoT Security Platform

IoT security and end-to-end connectivity vendor Thirdwayv has launched AppAuth software, designed to protect mission-critical IoT applications. The product’s three software modules protect IoT devices, smartphone apps, and cloud services from malware attacks and validate system commands/ components.

AppAuth allows users to safely control and manage their mission-critical IoT devices in industrial, medical and infrastructure settings with their own smartphones and a Bluetooth connection. The software assigns each component of the IoT system a digital cryptographic identity and protects communication links and the surrounding environment. Each element of the system validates user authority and privileges.

“Mission-critical IoT systems are typically related to the safety of individuals or the protection of high-value property,” says Vinay Gokhale, Thirdwayv’s VP of Business Development. “AppAuth enables our enterprise and commercial customers to bring trust to these systems through reliable user and device authentication, identity management, and attestation of one system component to the other.”

The smartphone app uses the hardware root of trust to continually monitor the phone’s operating system, authenticity, and integrity in real time. This approach protects the app from both malware attacks and OS vulnerabilities. AppAuth’s cloud infrastructure provides over-the-air certificate issuance once verification is complete. Its cloud module allows for lifecycle management of all IoT components on the network.

Growing Worry About Smartphone Vulnerabilities

Safety and mission-critical IoT applications have become even greater targets for cybersecurity attacks. Smartphone vulnerability is a growing concern.

“IoT systems are especially at risk of attack through connectivity to their cloud services, smartphone apps, and other IoT devices,” says Steve Hoffenberg, Director of VDC Research. “IoT device makers need to ensure that only currently trusted entities can communicate with their products by enforcing authentication and access privileges in all levels of communications.”

AppAuth is available for both iOS and Android and via software development kits (SDKs) and application programming interfaces (APIs). The product works out of the box with the company’s SecureConnectivity platform, which connects and protects wireless IoT deployments.