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First Digital Key Applet Certified for Automotive Security

July 30, 2024

Keysight performed the first Car Connectivity Consortium Digital Key Applet certification for NXP Semiconductors.

Expanding the security evaluation solutions available for the automotive industry, Keysight Technologies’ device security research lab, Riscure Security Solutions, recently completed the first Car Connectivity Consortium (CCC) Digital Key Applet (DKA) certification for NXP Semiconductors.

The two companies evaluated and certified NXP’s automotive Digital Key solution, which helps safeguard the privacy and security of users. It implements advanced public key protocols, hardware-based key storage, and wireless transmission standards to securely authorize user access.

Enabling the automotive industry to build trust in the security of next-generation vehicles, the Digital Key Applet certification program provides essential security assurance and robustness without placing an extra burden on backend services. This also opens new possibilities to expand vehicle functionality, such as car sharing, car rentals, and more business applications.

This first-ever CCC DKA certification is an important step in advancing the development and market adoption of the CCC Digital Key system. It underscores the ability to develop secure products that meet the highest levels of assurance, comparable to EAL 4 + AVA_VAN.5 used in the Common Criteria program. In addition to addressing UN R155 and R156 regulations and others, Digital Key Applet certification is part of Keysight’s effort to offer a range of solutions and expertise to test and improve the overall robustness of automotive systems.

According to Georg Stütz, Head of IoT and Automotive Certification at NXP, “Industry standards like the CCC are crucial to the industry, helping to build consumer trust with interoperability, security, and a consistent user experience. By certifying a digital key applet, NXP is taking the next step in advancing secure car access across the ecosystem.

"NXP has worked with Riscure Security Solutions over many years for security testing and certification across different sectors and would once again like to thank Keysight’s Riscure Security Solutions for their expertise and support in helping NXP achieve this certification milestone.”

Marc Witteman, Director of the Device Security Research Lab at Keysight added,“This achievement marks a significant step in the establishment of the CCC certification program, positioning both Keysight and NXP at the forefront of this groundbreaking development. This further demonstrates how Keysight enables automotive vendors to test and certify their solutions against the most stringent security requirements.”

Alix Paultre | Editor-at-Large, Microwaves & RF

Alix is Editor-at-Large for Microwaves & RF.

An Army veteran, Alix Paultre was a signals intelligence soldier on the East/West German border in the early ‘80s, and eventually wound up helping launch and run a publication on consumer electronics for the U.S. military stationed in Europe. Alix first began in this industry in 1998 at Electronic Products magazine, and since then has worked for a variety of publications, most recently as Editor-in-Chief of Power Systems Design.

Alix currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany.