Hardware Security Leads IIoT with Tamper‑Resistance, Faster Market Entry, and Strong Protection for Manufacturing, Transport, and Utilities

Industrial automation is projected to be the largest spend segment within the IoT landscape in 2019. The critical question for every manufacturer is: how do we guarantee the trustworthiness of the devices that tether these systems to the network? This article examines why hardware‑based security emerges as the most reliable solution for IIoT, delivering not only robust protection but also faster time‑to‑market, greater scalability, and enhanced manufacturing flexibility.

According to a recent forecast by International Data Corporation (IDC), manufacturing, transportation, and utilities will dominate IoT investment this year. Global spend is expected to hit $745 billion, with discrete manufacturing ($119 billion), process manufacturing ($78 billion), transportation ($71 billion), and utilities ($61 billion) leading the way. Manufacturers will focus on solutions that streamline operations and manage production assets, while the transportation sector will allocate more than half of its budget to freight monitoring, followed by fleet management. Utilities will prioritize smart‑grid technologies for electricity, gas, and water.

Hardware procurement is forecast to reach $250 billion, largely driven by $200 billion+ in modules and sensors. As this market expands, the threat surface from cyberattacks grows in tandem. System integrators must deploy security technologies rapidly, weighing both hardware and software options. The decisive factor is often the vulnerability profile of each approach.

Software solutions are inherently more exposed; attackers can dissect code to find weaknesses. In contrast, hardware security chips are engineered for tamper resistance, featuring encrypted memory, fault‑tolerance, and protected code execution. When software runs on such hardware, it inherits a shielded environment that protects against reading, copying, or tampering.

What the standards say

Leading industry standards—IEC 62443, NIST, and the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC)—mandate hardware security for the highest assurance levels. NIST’s “Platform Firmware Resiliency Guidelines” emphasize that roots of trust (RoTs) and chains of trust (CoTs) must withstand tampering from any software running on the host processor. The guidelines state that any data passed from host software to platform firmware should be treated as untrusted.

RoTs form the foundation of resilience in industrial control systems and anchor the chain of trust. Each successive component collaborates to preserve the trust established by the RoT, enabling secure functions such as device updates. After completing its task, a RoT or CoT may relinquish privileges, or it may pass control to a lower‑trust element.

Because RoTs perform critical security functions, they must be secure by design. Confidence in a RoT hinges on a thorough attack‑surface analysis and effective mitigations. Vendors are responsible for safeguarding RoTs, typically by making them immutable or verifying the integrity and authenticity of any changes before applying updates. RoTs often operate in isolated environments with higher privilege levels or complete their functions before exposure to potential modification.

Offering more than just security

Steve Hanna, Senior Principal at Infineon Technologies, explains why hardware security is not only the most resilient but also delivers added value. “Hardware‑based security brings tamper resistance, accelerated time‑to‑market, scalability, and performance. It also protects against theft and counterfeiting throughout the supply chain,” he says. A dedicated security chip, rigorously tested by independent laboratories and certified by international bodies, can perform cryptographic operations, simplifying design and reducing implementation time from months to weeks.

Haydn Povey, board member of the IoT Security Foundation and CEO of Secure Thingz, stresses the importance of an immutable boot path. “Hardware provides the control needed for a root of trust, auditability, and a secure enclave that can enforce a known good state,” he notes. He adds that a silicon vendor can provision secure elements at wafer level for high volumes, while distributors like Arrow can program secure keys for smaller batches, forming a trusted ecosystem.

Infineon’s Hanna highlights that ready‑made, certified security chips allow designers to embed device authentication, supplier key protection, and other trust functions with minimal effort. This is especially valuable given the steep learning curve of IIoT security.

Scalability, performance, and manufacturing flexibility

With IIoT adoption accelerating in 2019, time‑to‑market and scalability become critical. Hardware security modules can be tailored to different performance, security, and platform requirements, enabling a single discrete controller to secure an entire product portfolio. Consistent security implementation across multiple devices enhances confidence for customers and regulators alike.

Adding security can impact device performance and power consumption. Hardware solutions excel in secure storage and cryptographic calculations. A tamper‑resistant chip can execute a key operation in a single pass within a protected environment, whereas software implementations may require multiple obfuscation steps, degrading performance and increasing power usage.

Supply‑chain security is another major concern. Devices often receive a unique key pair—public and private—to establish identity and access rights. If a private key is intercepted during manufacturing or shipping, counterfeit devices could infiltrate the network. Hardware security chips provide traceability throughout the value chain, allowing verification of authenticity at each stage and reducing the risk of counterfeiting.

Ultimately, Hanna asserts that hardware security offers significant benefits for IIoT devices and systems. “Even if an attacker gains access, they cannot easily decipher the chip’s operations. Our technology makes it extremely hard to locate or exploit vulnerabilities,” he says.