DigiCert propels Panasonic to secure a smart home solutions

The Matter standard provides safe networking between IoT devices in a smart home, allowing gadgets from different manufacturers to work together. To establish secure connections, device certificates based on the security policy of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA).

DigiCert, a global leader in digital trust, and Macnica disclosed that they will supply public key infrastructure (PKI) to Panasonic Life Solutions India Private Ltd., one of the world’s top home appliance manufacturers. Together, they will debut India’s first room air conditioner with Matter 1.21, an established smart home standard.

As a novel common standard that enables seamless compatibility and secure connectivity between IoT devices within a smart home, the Matter standard lays the groundwork for a smart home ecosystem in which IoT devices from various manufacturers can easily collaborate to provide residents with a convenient new smart home experience. To establish secure connections in Matter, device certificates based on the Connectivity Standards Alliance’s (CSA) security policy are used, and each Matter-enabled product is assigned a unique digital certificate2 to communicate only with secure parties. Each Matter-enabled product holds a unique digital certificate and communicates only with secure parties. As such, Matter requires the use of digital certificates for each IoT device to realize a secure smart home.

DigiCert, chosen by CSA as the world’s first Matter Root CA, provides the project with excellent security and support capabilities backed by professional experience and understanding based on the company’s certificate business experience and global adoption. Macnica, with its expertise in IoT and IT, was instrumental in the introduction of Matter-compliant digital certificates at Panasonic Group’s production plant, from deal discovery and management to implementation and post-deployment technical assistance.

The certificates enable Panasonic room air conditioners to be easily linked into the Matter ecosystem, allowing users to operate and monitor them using Matter-enabled devices such as smart speakers, smartphones, and tablets. The Panasonic room air conditioner series, which includes the Matter Protocol, is available in all major shops and e-commerce platforms across India.

“The security of Panasonic room air conditioners has been greatly enhanced by adopting the latest solutions from DigiCert, a leading provider of digital certificates, in addition to the security-oriented Matter standard. This allows consumers to feel more secure in the convenient and integrated living experience provided by Panasonic’s smart home platform,” said Manish Misra, Chief Innovation Officer, Panasonic Life Solutions India. “We chose DigiCert’s solution because of its high security and scalability for Panasonic, which manufactures not only room air conditioners, but also refrigerators, washing machines, and a variety of other equipment at its factories around the world. The highly reliable DigiCert solution has enabled us to start up production smoothly and trouble-free. The new room air conditioners have been well received by the market and production is steadily increasing.”

“We are pleased to partner with Macnica and Panasonic Life Solutions India in revolutionizing the smart home landscape in India,” said Mike Nelson, Vice President of Digital Trust at DigiCert. “By providing DigiCert’s industry-leading PKI solutions, we are delivering robust security and seamless connectivity for Matter-enabled devices, empowering consumers to experience the utmost convenience and reliability in their smart home ecosystem.”

Macnica continue to help Panasonic bring matter-enabled devices to market. In addition to several Matter-related semiconductor manufacturers, Macnica will provide DigiCert digital certificates to help Japanese companies accelerate the release of Matter products in a variety of smart home-related fields, such as room air conditioners.