ZIENIoT is a technology that embeds sensors and communication capabilities into various objects to connect them to the internet. In our daily lives, we commonly encounter examples of IoT utilization. With just a touch on our smartphones, we can control home appliances, automobiles, and temperature regulation devices. In industrial settings, smart factories automate the entire process from product planning to production, distribution, and sales. This realization of a "hyper-connected society" where everything is possible through the internet is truly remarkable.
However, as IoT technology advances rapidly, security incidents are constantly occurring. With everything connected to the internet, the world has become vulnerable to cyber attacks where everything can be stolen with just one internet hack. Therefore, the importance of security inspection solutions that can address the vulnerable security issues of IoT is being emphasized.
In response to this, ZIEN is developing various solutions related to IoT security to protect customers from the risks of hacking. We had the opportunity to speak with ZIEN's CEO, Youngmin Cho, to learn more about the company's main business activities and future goals.
Company Introduction
ZIEN is a convergence security company specializing in researching IoT security, a core technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We are dedicated to studying the security of IoT, which is being increasingly applied not only in smart homes, mobility, smart factories, and smart cities but also in expanding areas such as metaverses and digital twin virtual environments.
Our main business areas at ZIEN include providing an automated IoT security inspection solutions and IoT firmware encryption solutions to address security risks identified through inspection solutions. We also offer IoT security anomaly detection solutions.
Please introduce the main business of ZIEN
Our IoT security inspection solution is an automated solution that can quickly and accurately identify various vulnerabilities existing within IoT devices. Its key features include solving the problem of identifying vulnerabilities that occur in operating environments using operational data analysis techniques and being able to manage Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) by identifying various open-source security vulnerabilities used in IoT devices.
Hackers often exploit vulnerabilities in firmware executable files to attack IoT devices. Our solution employs reverse engineering techniques to analyze executable files from the perspective of hackers, enabling us to rapidly and accurately identify previously unknown vulnerabilities, including zero-day vulnerabilities.
Furthermore, we offer an IoT firmware encryption solution. To hack into IoT devices, hackers typically need to acquire and analyze the initial firmware. While there are various methods to obtain this firmware, one common approach involves directly accessing the flash memory chip on the IoT device board to extract it.
However, if the acquired firmware is encrypted and the encryption key cannot be found, further hacking attempts become impossible. Our IoT firmware encryption solution applies technology that blocks hacker analysis of IoT device firmware in advance, thereby defending against attacks.
What are the future goals
Our upcoming objectives involve advancing our IoT security inspection solution and building on our success in last year's Cyber Security Challenge, which resulted in subsequent research collaborations with IITP. Presently, we're dedicated to enhancing our IoT security solution. Furthermore, we've finalized patent applications for "A system and method for analyzing software vulnerabilities on IoT devices" and have a pre-registered patent for "A method and device for inspecting IoT devices." Additionally, our solution has attained GS certification (Level 1), and we're preparing to enter the public market.
Moving forward, we aim to continue engaging in national research projects to build our proprietary intellectual property (IP) and develop new technologies. Our future objectives extend beyond security software to include the development of hardware-based security chips based on the RISC-V architecture.
Our goal is to create a safe and smart world for everyone, from smart homes to smart cities. To achieve this goal, we prioritize customer needs and strive to exceed their expectations in every aspect.
Source : News Economy