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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