The importance of OTA updates for IoT Devices

What is an OTA?

Gartner defines “Over-the-air” (OTA) as the ability to download applications, services and configurations over a mobile or cellular network. It is literally an update sent “over the air”, a mechanism to update the internet-connected hardware remotely and wirelessly with new software and/or firmware configurations.

Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT), there are more and more devices connected to the internet, and it is important that they remain safe, especially in industrial environments; a security breach puts IoT (or IIoT as it is known in industry) at risk.

The capacity of an IoT device to receive OTA updates is critical for handling vulnerabilities. This type of update provides the manufacturers of technological devices, system integrators, and operators of IoT solutions with the means to add new functionalities to their products over time and also correct any vulnerability on the device.

OTA updates: Why are they important?

OTA updates act immediately to keep the installation robust and to ensure data protection.

OTA updates also reduce maintenance costs. An update can be completed in phases and there are no limitations regarding how many you can release per year. By delivering a proven, box-fresh service and releasing additional features via OTA when errors have been solved, you gain will time in the programming process.

It is not feasible to update the devices deployed in the field using the traditional method (connecting each integrated device to a cable PC). The costs would be so high that we risk giving up on critical security patch updates, bug fixes or the latest features of the product.

OTA services must be fast, secure and easy to use. They allow devices to be updated individually or in groups with a single click. However, pushing this type of update is not easy, as it involves a series of competencies, such as managing different versions of the firmware so that a failure in the update does not “lock” the device, or that the update does not use all the available bandwidth and, of course, that an urgent update is made at the right time. This can become complicated as the number of devices connected to a single business network increases.

To issue OTA firmware updates, you need a device management system that can interact with microprocessors and local IoT device software. It is complicated to build this as few companies have an IoT software and hardware ecosystem that can process these updates and manage remote devices.

Recommended reading: Industrial IoT Security: how to protect edge devices to minimise cyber attacks

Considerations of OTA design for Industrial IOT

• Version recovery: It should be possible to reverse a failed update to keep the device on the previous stable version and prevent locking

• Version verification: It is essential to check the source of the OTA so devices only accept updates from a trusted and verified source that has not been tampered with in transit

• Code compatibility: For devices supporting multiple architectures it is advisable to confirm first that the image received is the correct one for that architecture before starting the update process. If not, it would be impossible to recover those devices

• Secure communication: All updates must be made through encrypted communication channels

• Partial updates: This reduces bandwidth consumption and device processing times

Benefits of OTAS

1. Incremental OTAS allow continuous improvement of devices even after they have been rolled out to users

2. They increase functionality through updates to one or more devices

3. They save money as firmware updates are managed via a remote platform

4. OTAs allows fast correction security vulnerabilities‍

5. They increase scalability by adding new features and infrastructure to the products after launch.

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Devices with Barbara OS always have access to the latest OTA updates to keep their system up to date and avoid vulnerabilities. Over our years of experience in managing and updating deployments of device networks, we have learned the best ways to meet the needs of each installation.If you are considering digitising your industrial equipment securely, contact us!

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