CTIA IoT Cybersecurity Certification Program Certifies First Device: HARMAN Spark

CTIA, the wireless industry association, recently announced that it has certified the first device, the HARMAN Spark, through its Internet of Things Cybersecurity Certification Program. The aftermarket connected car device is offered exclusively by AT&T. The testing was carried out by the Ericsson Device and Application Verification (EDAV) lab in Richardson, Texas.

“This is a milestone for the CTIA IoT Cybersecurity Certification Program,” said Tom Sawanobori, SVP and CTO, CTIA. “As we move toward an increasingly connected future, the CTIA IoT Cybersecurity Certification Program and its authorized labs will play a key role in protecting consumers and our wireless networks.”

The CTIA IoT Cybersecurity Certification Program helps device suppliers, enterprises and government organizations ensure that cellular-connected devices have appropriate security capabilities. The certification process includes verifying the device security features against a set of standard cybersecurity best practices addressing the storage of consumers’ information, rigorous password and security management standards and the availability of an over-the-air mechanism for security software updates. Device manufacturers may seek one of three levels of certification, depending on the sophistication of the device and the security characteristics desired or needed for its use.

“It’s appropriate that the first device to gain certification through the CTIA’s Cybersecurity Certification Program is HARMAN Spark,” said Cameron Coursey, VP, IoT Solutions, AT&T. “This common and readily achievable security program will be critical to the future of safe and secure connected driving.”

HARMAN Spark is a new aftermarket telematics device that plugs into the OBD-II port of vehicles manufactured after 1996 turns them into connected cars.

“We are extremely proud that the device we co-developed with AT&T is the first device to ever be certified by the CTIA IoT Cybersecurity Program,” said Sanjay Dhawan, President, Connected Services and CTO, HARMAN. “This exciting moment proves our continued dedication to creating breakthrough technology that is truly innovative and has a positive impact on all users.”

“The EDAV lab will play a critical role in the IoT ecosystem, as Ericsson predicts the number of IoT devices to rapidly expand in the coming years,” said Tomas Ageskog, VP and Head of Digital Services, Ericsson North America. “The number of cellular IoT connections is expected to reach 4.1 billion in 2024, according to a projection in the most recent Ericsson Mobility Report.”