Siemens, NXP and Partners Strengthen Cybersecurity Through the Charter of Trust

Is the era of post‑trust on the horizon?

In “Savvy: Navigating Fake Companies, Fake Leaders and Fake News in the Post‑Trust Era,” Shiv Singh and Rohini Luthra warn that “we’re experiencing a massive breakdown of trust in the institutions that govern societies. We are in a crisis of trust.”

Cyber incidents have become routine. The Equifax breach exposed nearly 150 million Americans; the 2017 WannaCry ransomware crippled the U.K.’s National Health Service; NotPetya inflicted hundreds of millions of dollars in damage on a global shipping firm; and Yahoo’s 2013 breach affected all 3 billion users. A 2018 McAfee report estimated the global cost of cyber‑crime at roughly $600 billion per year.

Even amid this chaos, most of society still relies on the digital infrastructure that powers the modern economy. But what if cyber‑terrorists could shut down a city’s power grid for days in the middle of a heatwave or a blizzard? Or if black‑hat hackers triggered accidents by hijacking autonomous vehicles or industrial control systems? The convergence of physical and digital worlds opens new avenues for attackers, making the threat landscape increasingly complex.

Emerging technologies—IoT, edge and cloud computing, machine learning, and smart transducers—are expanding the attack surface. “These technologies are driving the digital transformation of society,” said Fari Assaderaghi, senior vice president for innovation and advanced technologies at NXP, during the “From Demand to Design” panel at NXP Connects Silicon Valley.

“We need a new approach to digital safety and security,” asserted Leo Simonovich, vice president and global head for industrial cyber and digital security at Siemens, in May. “Every vehicle, machine, medical device and element of the power grid is now computerized and networked, and a cyber‑attack could threaten both safety and data.”

Yet many organizations remain largely unconcerned. “Security is still a relatively new consideration for many players,” said Svend Buhl, director of communications at NXP. “The IoT shift has heightened awareness, but the industry’s response is still evolving.”

In 2018, Siemens and eight partners—including NXP—launched the Charter of Trust, a set of common principles designed to reduce cyber‑risk across the board. The Charter’s goal is to protect the trust that underpins digital transformation initiatives worldwide.

The coalition has since grown to 16 members. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries announced plans to join as the first Asian member later this year. Other signatories include Airbus, Allianz, Cisco, Daimler, Dell Technologies and IBM.

One of the Charter’s first focal points is Principle 2: “Responsibility throughout the digital supply chain.” “If we all concentrate on this area, we can dramatically shrink the attack surface available to threat actors,” explained Kurt John, Siemens’ U.S. chief information security officer. “Siemens has identified the top 300 suppliers worldwide and is working with them to embed cybersecurity by default.”

For NXP, “cybersecurity by default” draws on its long‑standing work securing e‑passports and banking applications. “We bring that same mindset to every chip architecture,” Buhl noted. “When designing solutions, we balance functionality, energy efficiency, and, above all, security.”

The Charter also aims to facilitate knowledge exchange. “Edge devices are becoming the first line of defense against cyber‑attacks,” Buhl said. “Because so much data now resides at the edge, these devices are high‑value targets for attackers.” By sharing best practices, members can align their security strategies.

“We speak the same language, focus on the same objectives, and share stories,” John added. “This common framework lets us collaborate effectively.”

Ultimately, the Charter of Trust connects to society at large. “The ten principles adopted by all signatories set a clear standard,” John concluded. “They ensure that the products, services and solutions we deliver to the public meet a consistent level of security.”