Orbit for Internet of Things Devices

I*oT protection by Cloudflare

Technology is changing — shifting towards a world where low cost, connected chips power products used by billions of people around the world. Everything from jet turbines and oil rigs, to cars, cameras, and clothing are coming online. And while these tiny chips unlock incredible potential, they are a liability if not secure.

When PC vulnerabilities are discovered, software vendors issue a patch, which end users are required to download and install. These patches keep PC software up-to-date and secure. IoT devices also require patches, but the PC security model can’t scale to 22 billion devices; IoT manufacturers often haven’t built over-the-air (OTA) update mechanisms and are terrified that updates will brick a user’s device. In the meantime, consumers never think about having to upgrade their internet-connected “toaster.”

Cloudflare Orbit solves this problem at the network level by creating a secure and authenticated connection between an IoT device and its origin server. Orbit takes the Internet out of IoT: Behind Orbit, devices are I*oT.

Orbit allows device manufacturers to instantly deploy “virtual patches” and block vulnerabilities across all devices on the network simultaneously. This keeps malicious requests from reaching devices, buys time for IoT manufacturers to carefully QA their updates, and keeps devices from leaking data or launching DDoS attacks.

Benefits of Orbit for IoT Device Manufacturers

Secure & authenticated data transfer

Cloudflare’s Mutual Authentication (TLS Client Authentication) creates a secure, authenticated connection between IoT devices and their origin server.

Vulnerabilities blocked in real-time

Cloudflare’s firewall instantly blocks malicious threats across all IoT devices at the network level.

Fast and cost-effective firmware updates

Cloudflare delivers IoT firmware updates directly from cache, resulting in faster updates and reduced bandwidth costs.

Improved battery life

Cloudflare’s compression and performance optimizations reduce data transmission, resulting in lower power consumption and better battery life.

"Keeping our products and customers secure is our primary concern. Cloudflare provides an extra layer of security that allows us to keep our devices continually updated and ahead of any vulnerabilities."

PAUL GERHARDT

Co-founder at Lockitron

Secure and Authenticated IoT Device Connections

Cloudflare’s Mutual Authentication (TLS Client Authentication) creates a secure connection between an Internet of Things device and its origin. When a device attempts to establish a connection with its origin server, Cloudflare validates the device’s certificate.

Successful IoT Device Authentication