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Week 4 — Secure OTA Architecture

OTA is the highest-risk feature in any IoT device.


1. Minimum OTA Security Requirements

  • Firmware authenticity verification
  • Version control
  • Rollback protection
  • Atomic update

2. Secure OTA Flow

  1. Device authenticates server
  2. Firmware metadata verified
  3. Image downloaded
  4. Signature verified
  5. Version checked
  6. Swap performed safely

3. Common OTA Failures

  • No rollback protection
  • Power loss during update
  • Weak versioning logic

Final Assignment

Design a secure OTA flow for:

  • ESP32 / STM32 / Nordic Include:
  • Crypto choice
  • Key placement
  • Failure handling