ZARIOT and The @ Company have announced an exciting partnership that will bring a new level of security to IoT deployments. The partnership is built from mutual recognition that collaboration is key to security and innovation. 

While securing cellular connectivity is essential, it is also important to consider connectivity as part of the wider IoT ecosystem, and truly secure ecosystems can only be created through collaboration, cooperation and partnerships.  

Security for the future

IoT is entering a critical stage, transitioning from relatively simple data collecting systems, to more advanced, complex, multi-device applications where data is not just generated, but analysed and proactively utilised to inform and drive decision making.

Jimmy Jones, Head of Security at ZARIOT, forecasts that 2022 is when IoT develops from a baby to a toddler. An infant is difficult to care for but easy to control, whereas a toddler’s behaviour is far more unpredictable, potentially hazardous, and difficult to manage. As increasingly more devices become connected to the internet and as IoT becomes more interwoven in our personal lives, securing IoT becomes imperative.  

Data Security through Encryption from SIM

The partnership between ZARIOT and The @ Company is a valuable step in further securing the IoT ecosystem. The @ Company are committed to data privacy and have created the @protocol to encrypt end-to-end. Combining ZARIOT’s SIM expertise with The @ Company technology, it is now possible to encrypt data all the way from the device to the core application.

To achieve this, ZARIOT writes The @ Company encryption keys to the ZARIOT SIM, creating a root of trust on the SIM. The ZARIOT eSIM, and in future iSIM, represent an ideal element to store the keys as they are very difficult to physically tamper with or access.

This end-to-end data encryption builds on ZARIOT’s award-winning mobile network security and VPN protection with an additional layer protecting the raw data. While there will always be more to be done as technology is always developing, this new partnership is a key example of the importance of collaboration in fostering innovation and advancement in the vitally important task of securing IoT.  

Innovation 

A further fruit of this partnership is a new innovation initiative, which launched with an end-to-end encryption hackathon, as part of Berkeley University Cal Hacks 8.0 in October 2021. 

The drive behind the hackathon was to create an opportunity to drive innovation and develop partnerships. The challenge was to develop a solution to bring true digital privacy to the Internet of Things. The ZARIOT IoT track focused on the best solution using end-to-end encryption to secure IoT devices and apps. 

The winning student innovators of the ZARIOT track are championed on the ZARIOT website to encourage others in a new generation of engineers. After the hackathon, The @ Company hosted a follow up webinar.

The speakers were Colin Constable, Chief Technology Officer at The @ Company, Kevin Nickels, Chief Product Officer at The @ Company, Don Witt of The Channel Daily News, a TR publication, and Jimmy Jones, Head of Security at ZARIOT. The webinar outlines in further detail the nature of partnership between ZARIOT and The @ Company, before the speakers delve into a discussion on the hackathon. Watch the recording of the webinar to find out more! 

 About ZARIOT 

ZARIOT was founded with the mission to restore order to what is becoming connected chaos in IoT by bringing unrivalled security, control and quality of service. ZARIOT offers secure cellular global connectivity for IoT and M2M devices, with signalling, IP and Zero Trust security for enterprises. 

 About The @ Company 

The @ Company are committed to data privacy and to the creation of an Internet where privacy is a fundamental right, everyone owns their own data, and where it is possible to do everything on the Internet with true End-to-End Encryption made possible by the free and fully open-source @platform built on Dart and Flutter.