GlobalPlatform Technology Deployed on 22 Billion Secure Elements

Adoption of industry specifications creates a collaborative, open ecosystem to efficiently deliver and protect secure digital services

GlobalPlatform has conservatively estimated that 41% of all Secure Elements (SE) deployed globally between 2010 and 2016 were based on GlobalPlatform Specifications – a total of 22.018 billion.

“The ongoing adoption of GlobalPlatform Specifications for SE products demonstrates the market’s awareness of the value of open standards,” comments Kevin Gillick, Executive Director, GlobalPlatform. “They have been proven to enable collaborative ecosystems in which all stakeholders can efficiently deliver innovative, secure digital services. This ultimately provides cost and time-to-market efficiencies.”

GlobalPlatform protects digital services by standardizing and certifying a security hardware / firmware combination, known as a secure component, which acts as an on-device trust anchor. Devices secured by GlobalPlatform include smart cards, smartphones, tablets, set top boxes, wearables, connected cars, and other internet of things (IoT) devices.

Gil Bernabeu, Technical Director, GlobalPlatform, adds: “One of the key drivers behind the ongoing adoption of GlobalPlatform Specifications is the development and relatively fast adoption of IoT devices, which are increasingly becoming a platform for DDoS attacks and other breaches. This means that collaboration between device manufacturers and service providers to ensure adequate security is paramount. GlobalPlatform technology empowers these stakeholders to interact seamlessly when deploying digital services, regardless of market or device type. This resulting collaboration makes mass marketing of digital services possible, while ensuring the appropriate level of security and supporting privacy requirements.”

GlobalPlatform technology is implemented across a wide range of markets globally, including payments, telecoms, transportation, automotive, smart cities, smart home, utilities, healthcare, premium content, government, and enterprise ID.

To enable device manufacturers to proactively market their products as meeting the needs of digital service providers, GlobalPlatform manages a functional certification program for SEs. This objectively illustrates that a device manufacturer’s GlobalPlatform-based secure component and digital service management capabilities are interoperable and meet required security levels, providing reassurance that the digital service will perform as intended in the field. To learn more, attend one of our upcoming SE training sessions in Munich and San Francisco.

GlobalPlatform’s estimations are based on Eurosmart’s SE shipment figures for 2010-2016, published in May 2017.

To find out more about GlobalPlatform or to become a member, visit www.globalplatform.org.