Securing Jetson devices: Enable security features on NVIDIA Jetson Devices
- ridgerun
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Why Does This Matter for Embedded Systems?
In embedded development, it’s easy to focus on performance and overlook security until late in the project. But that can lead to vulnerabilities, compliance headaches, and costly redesigns, it is important to consider that fines and penalties are a possibility if security is not considered in projects and their devices.
In the embedded devices industry, security is no longer a “nice to have”, it’s a requirement. As AI at the edge becomes standard in applications like smart surveillance, industrial control systems, kiosks, and robotics, devices like NVIDIA Jetson are taking center stage. But powerful processing alone isn’t enough. These devices need to be secure.
NVIDIA Jetson Security features:
We help embedded developers and system integrators enable and configure six critical security features on Jetson devices by using Yocto:
As the deployment of embedded and AI-powered devices grows, so does the importance of securing them. From smart cities and retail analytics to industrial automation and healthcare, NVIDIA Jetson platforms are leading the way in enabling powerful, low-power AI hardware and software.
RidgeRun can provide guidance to enable and configure advanced security features on NVIDIA Jetson devices. This service is tailored for developers and organizations that need to harden their embedded systems against threats and ensure safe, reliable operations.
What areas have been covered by RidgeRun?
We help embedded developers and system integrators enable and configure six critical security features on Jetson devices.
The chain and root of trust are handled as shown below in the Jetson devices.
Secure Boot: Secure Boot ensures that only verified software is loaded when your device powers on. This protects against low-level attacks, like bootloader tampering or unauthorized firmware. The Jetson device uses a fuse approach to validate keys using hardware. With Secure Boot enabled, your Jetson device always starts from a trusted baseline; critical for any secure embedded system.
Disk Encryption: If your device stores sensitive data logs, AI model files, credentials; disk encryption ensures it stays protected even if the device is lost or stolen. Full disk encryption or specific partitions can be encrypted, so that data remains unreadable without proper authorization, reducing risk in both field deployments and lab environments.
Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates: Jetson devices deployed in the field need a way to receive updates, Over-the-air updates (OTA), allows your devices to be updated remotely and reliably, without physical access. RidgeRun has experience using Mender.io with Jetson devices to perform software updates. This helps reduce maintenance costs and keeps your systems secure long-term.
OP-TEE: Open Portable Trusted Execution Environment allows Jetson devices to run trusted applications in a secure, isolated environment alongside the main operating system. This separation is crucial for protecting sensitive operations like cryptographic processing, authentication, and key management.
The overall framework of OP-TEE combines with two major components: optee_os, which is the trusted side of the TEE (the secure world), and optee_client, which is the untrusted, or “normal,” side of the TEE (the normal world).
Kiosk Mode: Jetson devices can be configured to run in kiosk mode for seamless deployment of applications in public or industrial settings. Kiosk mode launches a full-screen application automatically at boot, hiding the underlying OS and providing a controlled user experience. This is especially useful for AI demos, digital signage, or smart camera interfaces. It's a clean and efficient way to showcase your Jetson-powered solution with zero distractions.
More information:
For more information regarding RidgeRun support for NVIDIA Jetson Security Features, please check RidgeRun Platform Security Manual.
How can RidgeRun provide support?
RidgeRun can provide guidance on using and implementing Security Features in NVIDIA’s Jetson Devices and provide information on its implementation. RidgeRun could become your engineering partner for success and get the most out of these features. RidgeRun’s expertise on NVIDIA Jetson Security Features implementation will speed up your product time to market.
For technical questions or any service inquiry, please send an email to support@ridgerun.com or send a message through http://www.ridgerun.com/contact.