Emproof
Advanced Binary Security For Embedded Systems

Embedded devices have reshaped the use of technology in our increasingly connected world, propelling progress in sectors like IoT, semiconductors, automotive, aviation, and healthcare. The efficacy and security of these devices rest on their software foundation, which is often compromised by unknown and undetected software vulnerabilities and bugs, even after rigorous testing.

Emproof, a leader in delivering high levels of security and IP integrity, is committed to instilling advanced binary security into embedded devices and systems. To do this, it offers an automated solution, Emproof Nyx. The solution identifies vulnerabilities within embedded devices and systems by analysing their binary codes. It subsequently fortifies security by implementing an external layer of protection through binary transformation.

Instead of full software overhauls, this strategy of code enhancement preserves the original software semantics and minimises device storage usage, ensuring resilience against cyber-attacks, exploit mitigation, code obfuscation, anti-tampering, platform security, and anti-fuzzing within clients’ resourcelimited environments. For example, strong obfuscation transforms code layout to conceal the devices’ algorithms and data while multi-layered security architecture secures the entire device. The static and dynamic anti-tamper solutions prevent the devices from reverse engineering.

Emproof Nyx commences the binary transformation of the code following a thorough inspection of clients’ embedded devices and systems.

Dr. Marc Fyrbiak, co-founder and chief product officer of Emproof, says, “We understand that companies often treat embedded devices like ‘black boxes,’ where multiple bugs and glitches remain undiscovered.

Our solution comprehensively understands their devices and operations before suggesting suitable measures for improving their security status.”

When customers select suitable security measures and specify which code sections to protect, Emproof Nyx enhances software security by processing the device’s binary images to strengthen code or deliver software updates accordingly.

Emproof also ensures continuous device security to prevent cyber-attacks through bugs created during future developments or upgrades to the device software. To make them future-proof, it fortifies the software codes to resist potential malicious attacks. If bugs emerge later, this proactive approach also shields them from potential vulnerabilities during the months-long debugging or patchwork development processes while minimising overhead. Additionally, this proves highly valuable, particularly in scenarios involving embedded systems connecting to clouds for data sharing. Clients frequently have concerns about potential exploitations to the connectivity, which will result in the loss of crucial data of their employees and customers. Emproof’s strategy to enhance the system’s resilience against cyber threats offers the essential assurance needed in such situations.

“Apart from fostering the security stance and offering exploitation mitigation, Emproof Nyx provides clients effective options to safeguard the IP of their embedded devices,” says Dr. Fyrbiak. This shields the device software against cloning, piracy, or manipulation, averting potential legal ramifications and uplifting operational efficiency.

Emproof Nyx has also earned the ISO 26262 (ASIL B) certification, which is a result of Emproof’s exceptional workforce. The technical founders Dr. Marc, Philipp and Tim are from Germany’s Ruhr-Universität Bochum, a top international university and research institute with a global reputation for developing innovative measures against cyberattacks. They are experts in IP protection, software reverse engineering, exploitation prevention, and hardware security domains and understand embedded devices and systems in depth. Leveraging guidance and resources from the institution and support from the local government of Germany, they formulated the solution with a one-of-a-kind approach of adding a layer of protection to embedded devices to protect them from cyber-attacks. Emproof also works together with Security Delta in The Hague, the Netherlands, and the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) in Brussels, Belgium.

Emproof stands as a trusted partner of companies struggling with repeated cyber threats to their embedded devices and systems. Its approach to providing security through binary code transformation, which takes up only a tiny fraction of software space, makes Emproof’s solution their preferred choice