NCC Group named Authorized Lab by ioXt Alliance to enhance security standards in Internet of Things product development

NCC Group has been designated as an Authorized Lab by the ioXt Alliance, the Global Standard for IoT Security and the industry group dedicated to building confidence in Internet of Things products through multi-stakeholder security and privacy requirements, product compliance programs, and public transparency. NCC Group will provide third-party validation and testing of relevant products for the Alliance’s Certification Program, which ensures adherence to the recommended security practices.

“At NCC Group, security is in our DNA—and that’s why we’re excited to work with the ioXt Alliance in raising security standards within the IoT ecosystem,” said Rob Wood, Technical VP, NCC Group. “We look forward to applying our expertise to help ensure that security is embedded early in the IoT product development process, and that all companies are able to comply with the security requirements that are developed.”

As an Authorized Lab, NCC Group is responsible for conducting the comprehensive technical security testing required for devices to earn the ioXt Certification Mark, which is given when a device meets the minimum requirements across each of the eight ioXt Pledge Principles in its designated product profile. While organizations are permitted to self-certify through a baseline layer, many choose to retain an Authorized Lab to conduct the certification.

NCC Group is uniquely qualified to perform this critical function: Among the four companies recently designated as an Authorized Lab, this is the only one focused specifically on security. That represents a significant advantage for those seeking to go beyond the baseline ioXt profiles—which covers common vulnerabilities such as inadequate password security practices. These flaws freely allow botnets to take down even websites belonging to large corporations. As a result, some countries and U.S. states are advocating or implementing legislation to ban such products. This puts pressure on those manufacturers to adjust their product development practices to meet higher baseline standards.

For its part, NCC Group has amassed extensive experience in IoT security over the years. It has worked with enterprises in a wide range of industries, building and implementing IoT devices (through its Hardware and Embedded Security Services practice), as well as backend services and IoT infrastructure. It brings a holistic view to each IoT-related engagement, building on wide-ranging expertise and comprehensive capabilities. In particular, NCC Group has long worked with product developers to embed security early in the process to provide the greatest benefit to the user community and at the lowest cost.

“I am excited to have NCC Group join the ioXt Alliance Authorized Lab program,” said Brad Ree, CTO of ioXt. “They have a long and outstanding history in product and compliance testing, along with great cybersecurity expertise on a global scale that will undoubtedly serve our program well and further support our mission moving forward.”

To learn more about the ioXt Alliance, ioXt Certification Program and ioXt Authorized Labs, visit: https://www.ioxtalliance.org/.