DigiCert, a specialist in digital trust, and Macnica have jointly committed to offer public key infrastructure (PKI) to Panasonic Life Solutions India Private Ltd, a manufacturer of home appliances. The collaboration will lead to the introduction of the first Matter 1.21 enabled room air conditioner in India. Matter 1.21, a universal standard for smart homes, ensures secure and smooth connectivity amongst Internet of Things (IoT) devices in a smart home.
The Matter standard is fundamental to a smart home ecosystem where IoT devices from different manufacturers can easily cofunction to provide residents with a new level of smart home experience. It is the security policy of the Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) that Matter utilises to establish secure connections. This means each Matter-enabled product has a unique digital certificate only to communicate with secure parties. Therefore, to realise a secure smart home, each IoT device must use digital certificates.
DigiCert, acclaimed as the world's first Matter Root CA by CSA, backs the project with its fortified security and support capabilities honed by years of experience and global adoption in the certificate business. Macnica, owing to its expertise in the IoT and IT spheres, played a significant role in implementing the Matter-compliant digital certificates at Panasonic Group’s production plant — ranging from deal discovery and management to implementation and post-deployment technical support.
These certificates enable Panasonic room air conditioners to seamlessly merge into the Matter ecosystem, allowing users to control and monitor their room air conditioners from Matter-enabled devices such as smart speakers, smartphones, and tablets. The Matter Protocol-equipped Panasonic room air conditioners are accessible at all major retailers and e-commerce platforms in India.
"The security of Panasonic room air conditioners has been considerably boosted by incorporating the latest solutions from DigiCert, along with the security-oriented Matter standard. Consequently, consumers can enjoy a secure, integrated living experience offered by Panasonic's smart home platform” said Manish Misra, Chief Innovation Officer, Panasonic Life Solutions India. He added that DigiCert's high-security solution, notable for its scalability, has facilitated a trouble-free start-up of production.
Voicing his optimism about the partnership, Mike Nelson, Vice President of Digital Trust at DigiCert stated, "We are delighted to partner with Macnica and Panasonic Life Solutions India to transform the smart home landscape in India. By providing DigiCert’s industry-leading PKI solutions, we are delivering sturdy security and seamless connectivity for Matter-enabled devices, enabling consumers to enjoy remarkable convenience and reliability in their smart home ecosystem."
DigiCert will remain committed to developing solutions for various standards bodies, including Matter, to cater to the diverse security requirements of each country, region, and industry. Panasonic plans to continue capitalising on the high security and scalability of Matter-compliant DigiCert PKI and gradually extend its Matter-enabled product models.
Along with supporting multiple Matter-related semiconductor manufacturers, Macnica will continue backing Panasonic's expansion of Matter-enabled products to the market. The company plans to provide digital certificates from DigiCert to aid Japanese companies in expediting the release of Matter products across an array of smart home-related fields, including room air conditioners.