“Updated: 10.04.2026”
Secure, connected and automated systems are now a key foundation across many industries — from mobility and infrastructure to healthcare and industrial IoT. At the same time, requirements for security and privacy are steadily increasing, especially in systems that rely on low‑power devices, wireless communication and long operational lifecycles.
Within the European research project SECREDAS (Product Security for Cross Domain Reliable Dependable Automated Systems), methods, reference architectures and components were developed and validated to strengthen security and privacy in automated systems across multiple domains. The project ran from May 2018 to October 2021.
STACKFORCE contributed to several technical areas of the project, with a focus on security concepts and implementation building blocks for low‑power communication and LPWAN‑based systems.
Why security is especially challenging in LPWAN systems
LPWAN and low‑power IoT systems come with constraints that make traditional IT‑security approaches difficult to apply directly. Limited device resources, long deployment lifetimes, infrequent maintenance windows and large device fleets require security mechanisms that are both robust and efficient.
SECREDAS addressed exactly this challenge: improving security and privacy while preserving functional safety and operational performance. These trade‑offs are still highly relevant for modern IoT architectures.
Technical contributions and transferable learnings
The following topics represent technical insights gained during the project that remain applicable well beyond the original research context — and continue to shape secure LPWAN and IoT designs today.
2. Security suites for Low‑Power wireless protocols
A central concept is the establishment of secure communication sessions that can be persistent or temporary, depending on the application. Beyond cryptographic primitives, session handling and lifecycle management play a key role in maintaining secure communication over many years of operation.
2. Secure commissioning of devices
The commissioning phase is a critical moment in the lifecycle of an IoT device. Robust secure commissioning mechanisms help ensure the desired security level between application servers and LPWAN devices already during onboarding — rather than relying on corrective measures later in the field.
3. Secure serial interfaces (Secure SATP)
Many embedded systems rely on serial interfaces for internal communication and API transport. Extending these interfaces with additional security mechanisms helps reduce internal attack surfaces, especially in modular architectures where multiple components interact via defined interfaces.
4. Testing and verification of security and robustness
Security must be verifiable. Dedicated test and verification systems support systematic validation of robustness, functional correctness and security properties of communication systems. This is essential for building trust in complex, distributed IoT architectures.
5. Multi‑protocol and dual‑stack approaches
Real‑world IoT deployments often require flexibility with regard to connectivity. Multi‑protocol or dual‑stack approaches can help address different requirements such as coverage, energy consumption or infrastructure availability. In the SECREDAS context, a dual‑stack approach (mioty® + LoRaWAN®) was evaluated to provide additional flexibility for LPWAN‑based use cases.
What remains relevant today
Although SECREDAS has been completed, its core questions are still highly relevant:
- How can security mechanisms be designed to remain resource‑efficient?
- How can commissioning be made robust and scalable?
- How can internal interfaces in embedded systems be protected systematically?
- How can security requirements be tested and validated in practice?
The insights gained from SECREDAS continue to inform modern IoT and LPWAN architectures — particularly where security, efficiency and long‑term reliability must be balanced.
If you are evaluating security requirements for low‑power or LPWAN‑based communication get in touch with us!
