New ISO standard: KNX IP Secure recognized as an independent security standard
KNX, the internationally leading automation protocol for smart homes and buildings, has reached a new milestone in its development. KNX IP Secure has been recognised as the international security standard EN ISO 22510. This makes KNX IP Secure the world's first standardised, manufacturer- and application-independent security system for smart homes and buildings.
The new EN ISO 22510 standard was published at the end of November 2019. It was specially developed for the application of open data communication for building automation and building management via KNXnet/IP. This latest ISO standardization also emphasizes the leading role of KNX as a global technology for home and building automation. The standardization is important because of the growing awareness of the cyber threats to which smart buildings are exposed and the resulting increase in security requirements for building automation.
Maximum security
For more than ten years, the standardized protocol KNX has been a forerunner in global and regional standardization for building automation. Security has always been the top priority in the development of KNX. Experts still consider the standard to be very secure. “With the continuous progress in intelligent networking of buildings and infrastructures, including the popular connection to HVAC and smart grids, KNX projects are increasingly faced with data-driven usage scenarios. These projects depend on highly sensitive data and require an exceptionally high level of security. In such projects, we are starting with KNX IP Secure, in which we expand our already very secure standard with additional security mechanisms. In this way, we meet the highest IT security requirements with KNX,” says Franz Kammerl, President of the KNX Association.
Double protection
KNX Secure was created in 2015 and is based on international security algorithms that are standardized in accordance with ISO 18033-3. The system uses recognized encryption in accordance with AES 128 CCM. KNX Secure consists of two mechanisms: KNX IP Secure protects the IP communication between the KNX installations. For this purpose, KNX IP Secure extends the IP protocol in such a way that all transmitted telegrams and data are completely encrypted. At the same time, KNX Data Secure protects the user data, including the data exchanged with the various terminals. This is done in an effective way that makes unauthorized access and manipulation impossible by means of encryption and authentication. The system integrator can combine both mechanisms and use them in parallel for maximum security in smart buildings.
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