This document discusses practical identity in the Internet of Things (IoT) era. It addresses several key issues including trustworthiness, device identity and context, provisioning and life cycles, authorization and access when connecting modern and legacy systems. The document also discusses challenges of bridging legacy and modern systems given differences in devices, life expectancies, information technology vs operational technology, and access issues related to remote locations, unreliable connectivity, and bandwidth constraints. It argues that current identity approaches are too static, fragile and vulnerable, and that improved approaches are needed such as dynamic, continuous identity tied to risk-based policies and standardized identity life cycles.

1. Practical Identity
in the
IoT Era
Morteza Ansari

6. • Trustworthiness
Integrity
Tamperproof
Anti-cloning
• Device identity & identity context
• Provisioning & associated life cycle
• Authorization and access
• Bridging modern & legacy
• …

9. System
Integrator Owner Operator

10. OEM
OEM
System
Integrator
Owner
Operator
App
…

11. App
App
Operator
System
Integrator
OEM
OEM
System
Integrator
Owner
Operator
…

12. App
App
Operator
System
Integrator
OEM
OEM
System
Integrator
Owner
Operator
…

13. ✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
? Update firmware

14. ✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware
✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware
✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware
✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware
✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware
✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware
✓ Read diagnostic data
✓ Run diagnostic routines
✗ Read movement
✗ Write movement
✗ Read program
? Update firmware

15. Location
Network
Trustworthiness
Calibration
Health
…

16. • Bridging legacy & modern
• Not all devices are created equal
• Life expectancy of industrial devices
• IT vs. OT
• Access:
Remote locations
Unreliable connectivity
Low bandwidth
Very complex failure scenarios
• Privacy!

17. • Too static, too fragile, too vulnerable
• Device identity context
• Risk based policies
• Dynamic & continuous identity
• Standardization
• Identity life cycle
• Identity ó security