GlobalPlatform TEE Spec Adoption to Reach 10 Billion

Key data:

• By 2025 the installed base of IoT devices will be over 75B devices
• The number of TEE-enabled processors shipped quarterly has grown by 25%
• 10 billion devices will feature TEE-enabled processors by the end of 2018

November 21, 2018 – GlobalPlatform, the standard for secure digital services and devices, has reported a 25 percent increase in the number of Trusted Execution Environment (TEE)-enabled processors being shipped quarterly, year-on-year. At this rate, it is expected some 10 billion devices will feature TEE-enabled processors by the end of 2018.

“The TEE is not a new concept, and standardization of the technology has been driven by our organization to support mass market deployment,” explains GlobalPlatform’s Technical Director, Gil Bernabeu. “The fragmentation caused by the deployment of proprietary TEEs makes life hard for app and service developers as they need to launch and maintain multiple versions of their apps and evaluate the security of each TEE platform. This is resource intensive and unsustainable. Our specifications and certification program gives device manufacturers a standardized way to embed security that meets the needs of service providers; app developers assurance that services will be protected from attacks; and end users confidence that their data is safe.”

Enterprise IT environments, delivery of premium multimedia content, mobile payments, the internet of things, enterprise and government identification programs and more seek to balance user experience with security. The TEE isolates trusted applications, keeping them away from any malware in the device OS and separate from other apps stored in the TEE. Because of this, the TEE is an essential environment within all devices as the secure services market evolves.

By 2025 the installed base of IoT devices will be over 75.4B devices.[1] GlobalPlatform technology is implemented across a wide range of markets globally, including payments, telecoms, transportation, automotive, smart cities, smart home, utilities, healthcare, premium content, government, and enterprise ID. Protected devices include connected cars, set top boxes, smartphones, tablets, wearables, and other internet of things (IoT) devices.

To enable device manufacturers to proactively market their products as meeting the needs of digital service providers, GlobalPlatform manages functional and security certification programs for TEEs. These objectively illustrate that a device manufacturer’s GlobalPlatform-based secure component and digital service management capabilities are interoperable and meet required security levels, providing reassurance that it will protect digital services and enable them to perform as intended in the field.

“Device manufacturers and service providers must work together to ensure suitable security is the foundation of end-user services,” adds Kevin Gillick, Executive Director of GlobalPlatform. “GlobalPlatform technology empowers stakeholders to interact seamlessly when deploying digital services, regardless of industry, sector or device type. This resulting collaboration makes mass marketing of digital services possible, while ensuring the appropriate level of security and supporting privacy requirements.”

Last month, GlobalPlatform announced it had conservatively calculated that more than 5.5 billion Secure Elements (SEs) deployed in 2017 were based on its specifications, an increase of over 1.5 billion from the previous year. Additionally, over the last three years, in excess of 1 billion SEs were embedded within mobile devices, 100% of which were based on GlobalPlatform technology. To learn more, visit the GlobalPlatform website.

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/471264/iot-number-of-connected-devices-worldwide/

-ENDS-

For further media information, please contact Chloe Smith or Erin Lovett at iseepr: chloe@iseepr.co.uk / erin@iseepr.co.uk or

+ 44 (0) 113 350 1922.

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Notes to editors:

About GlobalPlatform

GlobalPlatform is a non-profit industry association driven by approximately 100 member companies. Members share a common goal to develop GlobalPlatform’s specifications, which are today highly regarded as the international standard for enabling digital services and devices to be trusted and securely managed throughout their lifecycle.

GlobalPlatform protects digital services by standardizing and certifying a security hardware/firmware combination, known as a secure component, which acts as an on-device trust anchor. This facilitates collaboration between service providers and device manufacturers, empowering them to ensure adequate security within all devices to protect against threats.

GlobalPlatform specifications also standardize the secure management of digital services and devices once deployed in the field. Altogether, GlobalPlatform enables convenient and secure digital service delivery to end users, while supporting privacy, regardless of market sector or device type. Devices secured by GlobalPlatform include smartphones, tablets, set top boxes, wearables, connected cars, other Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and smart cards.

The technology’s widespread global adoption delivers cost and time-to-market efficiencies to all. Market sectors adopting GlobalPlatform technology include payments, telecoms, transportation, automotive, smart cities, smart home, utilities, healthcare, premium content, government and enterprise ID.

GlobalPlatform’s legacy of successful technical specification development is thanks to two decades of energetic and effective industry collaboration.  Members influence the organization’s output through participation in technical committees, working groups and strategic task forces. GlobalPlatform technology is developed in collaboration with numerous standards bodies and regional organizations across the world, to ensure continual relevance and timeliness. For more information visit www.globalplatform.org