Briefing 2019

The Challenge

What used to be a family device, completely secure and protected inside the home is nowadays virtually "visible" to ~8 billion people when connected to internet. Our fast transition to a digital world still continues to leave gaps in protecting the IoT devices. The consequences sometimes reach astronomical scales.

In 2016 over 600.000 compromised devices started a coordinated attack on critical infrastructure, which almost paralyzed the Internet. More recently, an article on low cost IoT devices describes how easily sensitive user credentials are stored unprotected (as "plain text") in memory.

Your Mission

As a market leader in security, Infineon developed OPTIGA Trust X intended to protect the confidentiality, integrity and authenticity of IoT devices. A deeper technical introduction (video) is available, as well as well as sample code on GitHub.

Infineon looks for innovative IoT applications, which rely on Trust X for an ultimate, state of the art protection and, in the end, a safer Internet for all of us.

Essential skills for working with Trust X:

  • C (for microcontroller) or

  • C or Python (for Raspberry)

Bonus skills:

  • Android/iOS development

  • Web technologies/development (server, front-end)

Dates & Processes

From all applications during the registration phase, the best (max. 20) will be selected and supported with hardware and expert know-how. Latter is available via email, forum discussions and during the meet up events. The support will reduce gradually as the teams progress.

The selected teams/participants will receive a startup packet during the first meet-up. It contains the basic building blocks to allow starting the development plus a few spare parts.

During the second meet-up event the teams showing progress unlock extra hardware – the more powerful booster pack.

Finally, those really committed to their projects will receive the finalist packet during the 3rd meet-up event.

The projects must be completed and submitted by end of September. The Infineon team will evaluate all projects in October and hand over prizes at the Best of IMM 2019 event in November.

In general, a functional prototype is highly desirable and appreciated. However, foundational work, like porting the supporting libraries to a new platform is equally valued.

Medium- and long-term perspectives

Infineon is interested to support and take further the most promising ideas.

Depending on the content, target application etc. they could be continued as a Master Thesis, PhD topic or even a new internal project.

For start-ups connection to relevant industry partners and even support in manufacturing the first prototypes could be imagined. Because in the end, bringing a good idea to life is beneficial for all: the start-up, Infineon and end-users.

Contact person

Rafael Gattringer, Infineon Innovation Management.

About Infineon Austria

Short Description

Headquartered in Villach, Infineon Technologies Austria AG is a Group subsidiary of Infineon Technologies AG. There are further branch offices in Klagenfurt, Graz, Linz and Vienna. Austria is the only location of the Group outside of Germany where Infineon pools competences for research and development, production and global business responsibility. Our success is founded on employees from approximately 60 countries. They have established Infineon as an important leading business in Austria.

Energy efficiency, mobility and security are three global mega trends in modern society. They are also the central challenges that Infineon addresses with its semiconductor and system solutions. Whether in the car, in the smartphones, industrial electronics or with debit cards and ID cards - know-how from Infineon Austria is found in many everyday applications. Innovation is the driver and at the same time binding element across all product groups, from analog and mixed-signal circuits to high-frequency and power semiconductors all the way to Embedded Control solutions.

Infineon Digital Security Solutions

More details about Infineon Austria.