aitos.io launches the world’s first PSA Certified BoAT blockchain application framework

aitos.io
6 min readMay 12, 2021

UNISOC and industry partners embrace to launch and release the world’s first PSA Certified software & hardware integrated IoT+Blockchain solution

May 12th , 2021, Shanghai, UNISOC announced its collaborative efforts with industry partners such as aitos.io, Arm China and CTTL-Terminal(China Telecommunication Technology Labs) of CAICT(China Academy of of Information and Communication Technology) to announce the world’s first PSA Certified software and hardware integrated IoT trusted data on-chain solution. This new development is based on UNISOC’s latest NB-IoT V8811 chipset platform which passed PSA Certified to integrate with the blockchain application framework middleware BoAT (Blockchain of AI Things) from aitos.io which also passed PSA Certified. By combining both software and hardware from the chipset platform + blockchain application framework, the seamless deployment of chipset-level trusted data on-chain capabilities allowed for IoT device implementation at a very basic layer to become a key link bridging the Internet of Things + blockchain. The UNISOC V8811 chipset platform integrated with the BoAT blockchain application framework will enable IoT devices to easily access blockchain services. PSA Certified and blockchain consensus ensures that IoT data is credible throughout the whole life cycle, thereby creating a trusted digital base in the era of the “Internet of Everything”, an eventuality.

aitos.io launches the world’s first PSA Certified BoAT blockchain application framework

PSA(Platform Security Architecture) Certified, launch in conjunction with a number of independent security testing laboratories and consulting organizations around the world for embedded device security, helps ensure the goal of IoT product security — from design process — to practical application deployment. CTTL-Terminal of CAICT setup a ground-breaking test lab environment specifically for this PSA Certified session, culminating in the industry’s first innovative practice not only for cellular IoT chips but also for blockchain applications framework middleware.

Mr. Xian Miao, Vice President of UNISOC AIoT said: “the UNISOC V8811 chipset is the first NB-IoT chip platform in the industry that has passed PSA Certified. It is based on Arm® TrustZone® technology from Arm China "Star" processor along with a series of self-developed hardware security intellectual property built in. Besides the ability to ensure a secure NB-IoT connectivity, the V8811 chipset integrates system-level terminal security capabilities, such as Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)/secure boot/secure upgrade/secure storage/identity authentication/SM cryptographic algorithm, and also provides security guarantees throughout the life cycle from production line prefabrication to chipset integration and testing. Not only can this type of security apparatus empower innovative industry-appealing applications such as blockchain integration, but in the future, the industry can expect to see advanced partner collaboration to expand NB-IoT in market verticals like energy/ logistics/digital transformation, etc."

UNISOC’s V8811 NB-IoT chip platform, recognized as the world’s first chip to pass PSA security certification

Commenting on this topic, Mr. Leo Lin, CEO of aitos.io, suggests looking at IoT security in a new light, not as a cost center but as an investment vehicle. This is the significance of blockchain to the IoT industry. With blockchain capability, IoT security can bring value based on trusted data and achieve sustainability. The PSA Certified program offers the methodology and certification process to help an ecosystem of security apparatus to cover security essentials, such as chip-level, system software, hardware/device and IoT blockchain application-level security, and this helps guarantee data-value monetization. Under the collaborative efforts lead by UNISOC, and partnered with Arm China, CTTL-Terminal of CAICT and aitos.io, the BoAT blockchain application framework deeply integrates strong security capabilities from UNISOC’s V8811 NB-IoT chipset platform and leverages Armv8-M TrustZone hardware security mechanism and Trusted Firmware-M to build a secure processing environment, to generate and maintain private keys which are critical to blockchain applications and perform cryptographic operations. Based on PSA Certified’s Root of Trust, it ensures the physical identity of IoT devices and the digital identity from the blockchain can be subsequently associated and authenticated. The BoAT middleware expertly passed PSA Certified process with rave reviews. The combination of UNISOC’s V8811 chipset and BoAT middleware emerges as the world’s first IoT + blockchain trusted application solution for cellular chips and system software certified thus far under PSA Certified process. The clear analysis of this integrated solution means empowerment for many IoT device manufacturers to quickly achieve trusted data on-chain and easy blockchain services access, to prepare for “a trusted digital base for the massive launching of a trillion-level Internet of Things data market.”

Ms. Guo Wei, Deputy Director — Dept. of Information Security for CTTL-Termial of CAICT said: “This PSA certified for UNISOC V8811 chipset platform and aitos.io BoAT blockchain application framework illustrates the industrialization collaboration of key partners for end-to-end security testing and certification to capitalize on terminal data on-chain access. These integrated product solutions that pass security certification can effectively protect the integrity and confidentiality of on-chain data throughout the terminal to the blockchain and improve the data traceability of blockchain applications. Based on our extensive security testing and certification experience and industry development status, CTTL-Terminal of CAICT took the lead in the Telecommunications Terminal Industry Association (TAF) to develop the standard of “Technical Requirements for Trusted Blockchain Access of IoT Terminals”. Ms. Guo emphasized, “I hope that the subsequent release of this standard can play a good guiding role in future developments of blockchain technology for trusted data, and I also hope that more partners will work with us to promote the healthy development of new technologies for various vertical markets, based on Internet of Things deployments”.

Mr. Eric Wang, Arm China’s Director of Security Marketing said: “PSA architecture and PSA certification for IoT security are widely recognized and accepted. Arm China’s “Star” processor and “Shanhai” security solution support PSA architecture help customers to build trust in IoT devices. UNISOC V8811 chipset platform is the first PSA Certified chipset product based on the Arm China’s “Star” processor. The combination of UNISOC’s V8811 chipset plus aitos.io’s BoAT Blockchain application framework solution represents the first PSA Certified chipset+blocckchain solution based on “Star” processor’s Armv8-M TrustZone to guarantee trust of uploading IoT data to Blockchain.

About aitos.io

aitos.io is a technology start-up focusing on the integrated innovation of IoT and Blockchain. By combining its own rich resources in the IoT industry, aitos.io has raised the standard for a blockchain application framework BoAT (Blockchain of AI Things) with delivered via IoT chipset and module to enable IoT devices quickly implement trusted data on-chain and access the blockchain services. At the end of 2019, aitos.io and nine mainstream cellular wireless module manufacturers jointly initiated the Blockchain IoT Module alliance, and successively released their own brands of BoAT blockchain module products. This resulted in hundreds of millions of IoT devices equipped with the capability of blockchain services access as a trusted entry of IoT+Blockchain application. aitos.io’s vision is to leverage an alliance of global IoT vendors to empower them to tap the value of applications and data.

At the beginning of the project launch in the end of 2018, aitos.io received angel investment from the IoT industry expert group and strategic investment from Wanxiang Blockchain. In December 2018, aitos.io was awarded membership into ARM Accelerator Camp. In June 2019, aitos.io emerged as the founding member of China Unicom IoT and Wanxiang Blockchain IoT+Blockchain Joint Innovation Center. In November, aitos.io became a empowerment partner of Microsoft’s AI and IoT Lab . In August 2020, aitos.io transitioned into Tencent’s Blockchain Accelerator program as the first member. In February 2021, aitos.io joined RISC-V International as strategic member and initiated to form new Blockchain SIG (special interest group). In April, aitos.io initiated 1st China technical requirements standards for trusted blockchain access of IoT terminals.

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aitos.io

Trusted identity authentication and privacy-preserving data computation solution for the enterprises of AIoT