DigiCert offers Root Certificate for Matter devices – Technologist

Matter is a unifying IP-based protocol to help connect and build reliable, secure IoT ecosystems. The release of Matter 1.0 by the Connective Standards Alliance means that smart home brands can begin the process of getting their devices tested and certified for Matter.

Matter devices offer consumers assurances of secure use through a consortium-led standard for authenticating device identity that only allows Matter-certified devices to connect to the network.

With the high-profile hacking of critical infrastructure, security remains an important issue that the ecosystem or manufacturers, users and regulators need to address before the next major disaster occurs.

“The introduction of Matter to the smart home industry is an exciting move that improves interoperability between devices and raises the bar for security, creating a more efficient and secure experience for consumers,” said DigiCert VP of IoT Security Mike Nelson.

It also presents new opportunities for organisations like DigiCert to make available new offerings. This includes DigiCert’s announcement that its Root Certificate Authority (CA) is approved by the Connectivity Standards Alliance (Alliance) for Matter device attestation.

As the first Matter-approved root CA, also known as a Product Attestation Authority (PAA), DigiCert can now provide rapid time to market for smart home manufacturers looking to earn the Matter seal on their products.

“Device attestation allows existing Matter devices to locally confirm new ones when they have been recognized by the local network, and quickly remove non-compliant devices when needed. Consumers are no longer under the burden of ensuring new devices are secure; it happens automatically,” said Chris LaPre, Director of Technology at the Connectivity Standards Alliance.

DigiCert contributed its expertise to the security and attestation components of the standard and has the scalable technology to enable an efficient path to compliance.

“DigiCert has been involved in building the Matter standard for several years, and we’ve already helped many leading companies evaluate their device attestation procedures using our test Certificate Authority. Now, with our PAA approved for production, we are ready to help customers save time in achieving Matter security compliance,” Nelson elaborated.

What DigiCert offers to Matter participants

• Accelerate time to market in achieving Matter compliance.
• Save money by avoiding the costs of technology, maintenance, staffing and ongoing compliance.
• Enjoy flexible deployment options, including on-premises, hosted or batch issuance.
• Simplify management of device attestation certificates and product attestation intermediates through the DigiCert IoT Device Manager.
• Gain efficiencies using a scalable platform to sign and secure device updates.