Cascoda & Thread
Overview
The Open Connectivity Foundation (OCF) is a standards organization that develops application-layer IoT protocols, based on the Internet Protocol (IP), using strong open standards. IoTivity® is the open source reference implementation of the OCF specification. IoTivity® provides a framework for device discovery, on-boarding, end-to-end security (and optionally, data models), for device-to-device and device-to-cloud connectivity. OCF is published as a ISO/IEC specification, and there is a comprehensive certification program in place.
Pioneer of OCF-over-Thread & Chair of Technology Steering Committee & the MARCOM Work Group
Link layer agnostic (Thread, Wi-Fi, Ethernet etc.)
Supports Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) security
Device-to-device & device-to-cloud connectivity
Platform agnostic (iOS, Android, Linux, Windows, Embedded etc.)
Open source implementation, IoTivity Lite
Cascoda has already ported the OCF IoTivity® stack to its Thread-based Chili2 module, and has created a full development kit and associated Thread Border Router.
OCF Security
OCF, as an IP-based application layer, ensures that the data sent over the internet, whether device to device, or device to cloud, cannot be read or modified by anyone except the desired recipient. This security system is called end-to-end encryption. End-to-end encryption is important, because information exchange over the internet may pass through the networks of intermediary organisations such as telecom and internet providers in multiple jurisdictions worldwide.
OCF achieves end-to-end encryption using a set of policies and procedures known as Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). PKI defines how to employ public and private digital certificates to perform end-to-end encryption. OCF employs a communications protocol known as Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) to exchange PKI public key certificates between the OCF client and OCF server. Both the OCF client and server then use the public key certificates of the respective recipient to securely encrypt the data to be sent, such that the recipient is the only one that can read it.
Cascoda’s Certified OCF-over-Thread
Cascoda’s OCF-over-Thread solution has achieved the highest (Gold) standard of IoT security according to the IASME ‘IoT Security Assured scheme’. This scheme is aligned with the ETSI technical standard for IoT security, EN 303 645, and with the proposed UK IoT security legislation and guidance. It is also mapped to the IoTSF Security Compliance Framework.