Achieve "good enough" security to keep hackers away: these network security suites are essential!

Figure 1: Omron camera modules provide facial recognition capabilities that go far beyond specific facial features. (Image source: Omron)

Devices embedded with the HVC-P2 will detect nearby users without the user being aware of the camera’s presence. In addition, using an off-the-shelf microcontroller and camera combination, developers can quickly add facial recognition to embedded systems.

Another solution is DFRobot 's SEN0188, a self-contained, Arduino-compatible fingerprint module. The module features a high-speed DSP and works with MSP430, AVR ^® , PIC ^® , STM32, Arm ^® and FPGA devices. With the ability to store 1,000 fingerprints, the product supports fingerprint input, intelligent image processing, and fingerprint comparison and search modes.

In the security space, Infineon 's Blockchain Security 2GO Starter Kit provides a quick and easy way to build best-in-class security into blockchain system designs. The kit provides an evaluation environment for a variety of blockchain technologies, includes five ready-to-use NFC cards, and supports basic blockchain functions such as secure key generation, password protection, and signing methods.

In short, blockchain is a decentralized digital ledger based on a chain of blocks, each of which is cryptographically linked to the previous block. Each transaction is protected by a digital signature. The Blockchain Security 2GO Starter Kit uses a hardware-based protection mechanism to securely generate and store private keys.

Maxim 's DS28C40 Anti-Tamper and Secure Interface Evaluation Board Provides the required hardware and software to evaluate the DS28C40 secure authenticator. The device provides a core set of cryptographic tools derived from integrated asymmetric and symmetric security functions. In addition to the security services provided by the hardware cryptographic engine, the device also integrates a FIPS/NIST true random number generator, one-time programmable memory for user data, keys, and certificates, a configurable GPIO, and a unique 64-bit ROM identification number.

The DS28C40's DeepCover embedded security feature provides multiple layers of advanced security protection for sensitive data, enabling strong secure key storage. To defend against device-level security attacks, the product takes both invasive and non-invasive countermeasures, including active chip shielding, key encryption storage, and algorithm encryption methods. Related applications include automotive safety verification, identification and calibration of automotive parts, encryption protection of IoT nodes, security verification of accessories and peripherals, secure boot or download of firmware, and secure storage of encryption keys for host controllers.

"Good enough" security will always be a moving target. In most cases, good enough will never really be good enough; the market moves too fast. As systems and hacker techniques continue to increase in sophistication, "good enough" really is about the cost/reward ratio that companies are willing or able to afford in protecting their assets.

Measures that can be successfully implemented include internal staff training, policies to protect the company network, authentication and encryption methods, and enough technology to provide at least reasonable protection. Fortunately, because criminals try to find the easiest accounts to compromise, good enough may mean implementing security methods that are secure enough to keep criminals away from you and toward others.