According to a recent announcement, GMO GlobalSign, a provider of identity and security solutions for the Internet of Things (IoT), is now a member of the Wi-SUN Alliance, a global industry alliance promoting interoperable, wireless, standards-based solutions for the IoT.
Other member companies include Cisco (News - Alert), Itron, Landis + Gyr, Renesas, Silver Spring Networks and many others from the utility, government and technology provider sections of the industry. Joining the alliance is a natural fit for GlobalSign, the company said in the release, because its IoT security strategy focuses on higher risk environments such as smart grids and smart cities.
The Wi-SUN Alliance is focused on accelerating the implementation of a smarter grid and smarter cities by enabling the global adoption of interoperable solutions based on the IEEE (News - Alert) 802.15.4 standard and other related open standards. GlobalSign is focused on securing IoT devices, like those that are a part of the smart grid, by using encryption and authentication to give every device a unique trusted identity.
“As critical infrastructure assets become increasingly cyber-connected, new security threats emerge. Securing these assets with proven technologies is of vital importance to today's society and economy,” said Zachary Short, Principal Software Architect, GlobalSign. “We are excited to be joining the Wi-SUN Alliance and look forward to collaborating with its members to bring security and interoperability to the smart grid and other critical infrastructures.”
The Wi-SUN Alliance's Field Area Network (FAN) specification is a smart city and metering protocol standard directed at connecting smart technology to cloud deployments and is suitable for smart city and utility networks, including Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) and Distribution Automation (DA). The security component of the FAN specification includes authentication using Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and client certificates. PKI is a standards-based technology positioned to secure IoT devices.