ubirch, 1NCE and G+D Team up to Offer IoT Blockchain on a SIM

Blockchain-anchored security provider Ubirch has teamed up with SIM-based IoT and M2M connectivity provider 1NCE to offer a secure data communications solution for IoT. Ubirch’s blockchain-anchored data security technology seals IoT sensor data into 1NCE’s SIM cards. The data packets are sealed and then chained, prior to being sent forward into a cloud-based Blockchain. The two companies are joined by security provider G+D Mobile Security who will provide an accompanying IoT security service to 1NCE’s IoT SIM cards. Specifically, the solution will leverage G+D’s SIGNiT to combine SIM environments and secure operating systems with blockchain technology. 

This rather unique solution is a first in the industry. Ubirch essentially offers a trust protocol which measures the sensor data at data origin level, and with the help of G+D’s SIGNiT, seals that data with a private encryption key that is stored on the SIM. These sealed packets or micro-certificates are then stored on a backend in a blockchain using a Merkle-Tree, thus creating immutable blocks. Both the sensors and the backend can then verify the authenticity and integrity of data coming from the blockchain. Certainly, sealing data using the SIM card is a more cost-effective solution in comparison to the use of separate secure elements, reducing BOM costs on the hardware security side. The advantage is that the blockchain solution is flexible and could be used with effectively any secure hardware technology that can store micro-certificates securely. As such, it works just as well with small form-factor elements as it does with more complex, resource-intensive hardware.

The combined technology is already being used by Lufthansa Industry Solutions to detect transport damage, namely in smartified air freight shipping containers also known as smart ULDs. Their Detection-as-a-Service offering can track and trace degree, time and location of goods damage in transit using this blockchain-on-a-SIM solution. Another case study showcased by G+D and Ubirch involves Bosch and T-Labs. The technology was used to read and seal odometer data in electric vehicles with the aim of providing authentic data to mileage apps.

As such, the potential applications are wide and varied within the cellular M2M and IoT markets, with logistics, supply chain management, asset tracking and inventory management, connected cars and mobility as a service as but a few notable use cases with comparably high applicability potential.

The SIM card provides a time-tested secure method for identification, notably on small devices with limited resources. The combination of connectivity and security in this manner has worked remarkably well in the past decade for M2M communications, and today for the broader IoT (and in particular for M2M eSIM).

The addition of blockchain, which can leverage hardware-stored (SIM) micro-certificates and trust protocols, adds a new dimension to the secure lifecycle data management of the devices. This is key for the increased value of M2M and IoT data today, specifically in smart contexts. Data has become king, and the market focus today is looking at how best to secure it, better yet: making it trustworthy. Adding authentication and integrity of the data into the mix is the next step in the IoT security market. The current focus has been on identity and access management of devices, but data security is pinging high on stakeholders’ radars. However, this can present a problem in terms of scale and cost.

A SIM-based solution means users can leverage existing technology (no need to upgrade to more costly secure hardware) in a low-cost manner that can scale to hundreds, thousands and even millions of devices. The secure backend does the heavy lifting and ensures the security of the data, providing that added last mile / last layer security value increasingly in high demand within IoT markets.