Embedded security and digital authentication – watch this space – Technologist

The embedded security and digital authentication market is primed for strong growth in the coming years, driven by several intensifying factors: increased threats, new regulations, and secure lifecycle management demands.

ABI Research expects the embedded secure hardware market to grow 12% between now and 2028 when total shipments will reach almost 8 billion globally. 

“The embedded space is host to various form factor demands that provide for a rich and complex security ecosystem that is constantly evolving. The convergence of the secure element and eSIM space, the hybridisation of secure MCUs and MPUs, and the fragmentation of the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE) market all create demand for security stemming from myriad applications and use cases,” says Michela Menting, senior research director at ABI Research.

At the bottom of the stack, simple functionalities for secure storage, secure boot processes, or a hardware root of trust can be fulfilled by a secure element. At the other end of the spectrum, complex, multi-application edge devices with embedded operating systems want to protect machine learning algorithms in secure execution environments.

Menting acknowledges that it is the latter market that will drive the highest revenues. “Better virtualisation technologies in smaller form factors are enabling parallel secure containerisation and enclaves for confidential processing in embedded systems; these capabilities are in high demand for flexible but secure device management,” she continues.

From secure integrated circuits to TEE-based microcontrollers, the embedded security market is vibrant and competitive, host to dozens of semiconductors and silicon IP providers. Dominant proprietary solutions are increasingly being challenged by open-source alternatives and technologies that don’t necessarily align with established standards.

This fragmentation can sometimes be problematic in terms of security cohesion and interoperability, but it also points to a gap in the market that clearly cannot be fulfilled by the incumbents alone.

“With the growing threat landscape, notably in the IoT space, and increasing policy and regulation pushing for more supply chains and end devices, the outlook for the secure embedded hardware market is highly opportunistic,” Menting concludes.