First IoT device certified by new security standard

GE’s industrial wireless router platform has become the first device to be certified by a new industry standard in security and reliability in critical infrastructure.

The CTIA, the wireless industry’s trade association, gave the new certification after rigorous testing was undertaken at Ericsson’s labs to verify the resilience of the GE IoT device in real-world network grid conditions.

The CTIA’s IoT Network Certified for Smart Connected Infrastructure programme allows manufacturers to validate their devices’ suitability for critical infrastructure operations.

“This is a huge step forward for both the telecommunications and utilities industries,” Michelle James, Vice President, Strategic Industry Programmes at CTIA (pictured above) told Cities Today . “This is the first time an industry-wide baseline has been set for IoT devices supporting utilities and now, we can test devices prior to deployment on critical infrastructure to make sure they meet those baseline standards for cybersecurity and reliability.”

Last year, the need was identified by industry to establish the cybersecurity protocol based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) standards. It was also deemed necessary for the test plan to be accessible to any manufacturer of IoT devices regardless of country of origin or deployment region.

It took a little over a year from CTIA identifying the challenge to rolling out the new programme which, according to James, is lightning fast in terms of collaboration.

“This is a key function of CTIA, convening the telecommunications industry to help identify and close the gaps in ways that help increase connectivity in our communities,” said James. “This certification programme supporting the utilities industry has been a reflection of that mission.”

For utilities, the next challenge will be continued collaboration and education regarding industry certification and finding new ways to help make next deployments more secure.

“What are their connectivity challenges, and how can we help?,” she said. “We’ve gathered a lot of successful use cases from our members and the communities that have deployed these advanced technologies, and we have a lot to continue to learn and share.”

She revealed that plans are already underway to similarly serve the transit industry as well as smart buildings and venues.

Image: CTIA