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A device is only as trustworthy as the day it was born

Q: What is secure device provisioning?

Secure device provisioning is the process of giving each connected device a unique cryptographic identity and the keys it needs to be trusted, established securely at manufacturing or first onboarding. It is the root of trust that secure boot, OTA, and attestation all build on. needCode does it with a hardware-rooted identity per device, secure key injection, and onboarding.

Q: Why does each device need a unique identity instead of a shared key?

A shared key means that extracting it from one device compromises every device that shares it - one breach becomes a fleet-wide breach. A unique per-device identity contains the damage to a single unit, which is the difference between losing a device and losing a product line. needCode provisions a unique, hardware-rooted key per device for exactly this reason.

Q: What is a hardware root of trust?

A hardware root of trust is secure hardware - a secure element, ARM TrustZone, PUF, or eFuse - that stores a device's keys so they can't be read out or cloned, even with physical access. It's what makes a device identity genuinely unforgeable rather than just stored in software. needCode anchors provisioning in it, with the silicon depth to do so across vendors.

Q: How do you inject keys securely at manufacturing?

needCode provisions keys on the production line so the key material is never exposed to the contract manufacturer or the factory environment, using secure injection and HSM-backed key custody. The factory is the least trusted point in a device's life and where most provisioning quietly leaks. Handling it correctly is what makes the root of trust real rather than nominal.

Q: What is zero-touch onboarding?

Zero-touch onboarding lets a device prove its identity and join a network or cloud automatically the first time it connects, with no human configuring each unit. It's how a fleet of thousands comes online trusted and at scale. needCode builds it to standards such as Matter commissioning, Aliro, and FIDO Device Onboard.

Q: Do you support Matter, Aliro, or FIDO Device Onboard?

Yes - needCode builds device identity and onboarding to Matter commissioning, Aliro, and FIDO Device Onboard (FDO), as a team active in the relevant standards bodies. Building to the standard means a device interoperates rather than relying on a bespoke scheme. The right standard depends on the ecosystem the product targets.

Q: How does provisioning relate to OTA and secure boot?

Provisioning establishes the identity and root of trust, and secure boot and OTA both depend on it - secure boot verifies firmware against keys set at provisioning, and OTA's signed updates are authenticated by the same root of trust. needCode builds all three as one coherent secure lifecycle. That shared foundation is why the keys from the factory keep a device trustworthy for years.

Q: Can you add secure provisioning to an existing product or factory?

Yes - needCode can assess an existing product and manufacturing flow and build in a hardware-rooted identity, secure key injection, and onboarding, including integration with the production line. The work usually starts with a security and provisioning assessment. Retrofitting a real root of trust is a common reason teams engage needCode.

Q: Which industries need secure device provisioning?

Any connected-device sector benefits, with the clearest need in smart home and Matter, industrial IoT fleets, automotive ECUs and digital keys, and medical devices - anywhere a forged or cloned identity is a risk. The standard and stakes differ, but the requirement for a genuine identity is shared. needCode fits the provisioning to each.

needCode gives each connected device a unique, hardware-rooted identity at manufacturing - secure key injection, a hardware root of trust, and zero-touch onboarding - so every device is genuine and trustworthy from its first boot. The foundation that secure boot, OTA, and cloud attestation all depend on, built by a team with the silicon and security depth to do it where it's hardest: on the factory floor.

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How it works

We work with Industry Leaders

Every later security mechanism assumes the device is already who it says it is

Secure boot, signed OTA, encrypted communication, cloud attestation - all of it rests on one assumption: that the device has a genuine, unforgeable identity. If that identity is weak - a key shared across the fleet, a secret that leaked on the factory floor, an identity that can be cloned - then everything built on top is built on sand, because one extracted key compromises every device that shares it. Provisioning is the root of trust, and a compromised root can't be patched later.

The catch is that provisioning happens in the least trusted place there is: a contract manufacturer's production line, where the keys that anchor the whole product's security have to be injected without leaking. needCode does it there - a unique hardware-rooted identity per device, keys anchored in secure hardware, and onboarding that lets a device prove itself the first time it connects.

Unique identity per device

A unique, hardware-rooted key per unit - so one extracted key never compromises the fleet.

Keys that can't be extracted

Anchored in a hardware root of trust - secure element, TrustZone, or eFuse.

Secure even at the factory

Key injection that doesn't leak on an untrusted production line.

What secure provisioning takes

A trustworthy device identity is four things done right. Miss one and the root of trust isn't sound.

Unique Device Identity

A unique cryptographic identity and key per device, not a secret shared across the fleet - so compromising one unit doesn't compromise all of them. It's the difference between losing a device and losing a product line.

Hardware Root of Trust

Keys anchored in secure hardware - a secure element, TrustZone / TF-M, PUF, or eFuse - so they can't be read out or cloned. An identity is only as strong as the hardware protecting its keys.

Platform Bring-Up & SDK

Secure Key Injection at Manufacturing

Provisioning keys on the production line without exposing them to the contract manufacturer or the factory environment. The factory is the least trusted point in a device's life, and it's where most provisioning quietly leaks.

Productization

Onboarding & Attestation

The device proving its identity when it first connects - zero-touch onboarding and attestation to the cloud or network. It's how a whole fleet comes online trusted, without a human configuring each unit.

OTA Update Systems

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Where it applies

Any connected product needs a trustworthy identity, but the standard and the stakes differ by sector. needCode fits provisioning to each.

Smart Home & Matter

Matter commissioning and Aliro onboarding depend on a secure device identity - provisioning is what lets a device join a home ecosystem trusted. needCode builds the identity these standards require.

Industrial IoT

Provisioning fleets of sensors and gateways so each is uniquely identified and trusted across a facility and its lifecycle. Identity is what makes a large fleet both manageable and secure.

Industrial IoT & RTLS

Automotive & SDV

ECUs and digital-key devices that need a hardware-rooted identity for secure boot, updates, and access. needCode brings the provisioning an automotive security programme expects.

Automotive & SDV

Digital Keys & Access

Medical & Connected Devices

Devices where a forged or cloned identity is a serious risk and each unit must be provably genuine. needCode's hardware-rooted provisioning suits products that can't tolerate a fake.

Why teams build provisioning with needCode

Security from the silicon up

needCode anchors identity in the hardware - secure element, TF-M / PSA, secure boot - with the low-level depth of nine platform bring-ups behind it. Provisioning done at the hardware level is provisioning that holds.

One secure lifecycle, end to end

needCode builds provisioning (the device's secure birth) and OTA (its secure life) on a shared root of trust, so the keys established at the factory authenticate every later update. The lifecycle is one coherent design, not two systems bolted together.

Secure where it's hardest - the factory

needCode handles key injection on the production line without exposing key material to the contract manufacturer. It's the part most teams underestimate, and the part that decides whether the root of trust is real.

Built to the standard

needCode builds to Matter commissioning, Aliro, and zero-touch onboarding, as a team active in the relevant standards bodies. Identity built to the spec is identity that interoperates.

Four ways to bring needCode in

From a security assessment to a factory-integrated system. We match the engagement to where the product is.

01 Security & Provisioning Assessment

Duration:
2–4 weeks
Best for:
Assessing identity and key-management needs, and the right root of trust
Deliverable:
Provisioning architecture, threat / gap analysis, leadership readout

02 Provisioning System Design & Build

Duration:
Phased
Best for:
Building the device identity, root of trust, and onboarding
Deliverable:
A working provisioning system on target silicon

03 Factory Integration

Duration:
Phased
Best for:
Integrating secure key injection into the manufacturing line
Deliverable:
CM-safe factory provisioning and key custody

04 Long-Term Team

Duration:
Multi-year, retainer-based
Best for:
Owning identity and the secure lifecycle across a product line
Deliverable:
An embedded security team

What we ship on

We pick the root of trust, identity model, and onboarding standard that match your product and factory.

Root of trust

Secure element

ARM TrustZone

TF-M

PSA Crypto

PUF

eFuse

Identity

Per-device keys

X.509 certificates

key attestation

Onboarding

Matter commissioning

Aliro

FIDO Device Onboard (FDO)

zero-touch

Manufacturing

Secure key injection

factory provisioning

HSM-backed key custody

Silicon

Nordic

NXP

STMicroelectronics

Qorvo

secure-element vendors

Case studies

Provisioning is a security-engineering discipline, and the proof is the depth beneath it.

Qorvo: RF Leadership

Context: Rapid scaling for new chipset bring-up.

Scale: Grew from <10 to 30 FTEs.
Output: Supported bring-up of 9 new hardware platforms (SDKs, Drivers, Stacks).
Retention: Zero-churn core team retained for 5+ years.

Dedicated Development Center for RF Solutions

Bluetooth Mesh Smart Lighting Control System

Smart Lighting: Core R&D Extension

Context: Client needed deep, specialized expertise to pivot from proprietary tech to a new global standard.

Service: Deployed a dedicated squad of embedded engineers to function as the client's core R&D team.
Output: Co-authored official Bluetooth SIG protocols and delivered the world’s first certified BLE Mesh stack.
Value: Enabled the client to secure Series A funding and defined the industry standard for smart buildings.

Creative Werks: Innovation rescue

Context: Hardware obsolescence threatened production shutdown.

Action: Full-stack takeover (PCB redesign + Firmware + Mobile App).
ROI: 1230% ($1.6M value generated).
Speed: Payback period of 2–3 months.

NeedCode-case study - IoT Solution for Boat Lift Modernization - cover2s

PowerPollen: AgTech automation

Context: Lack of internal expertise stalled a critical automation project.

Action: Re-architected system using unified MCU and ISOBUS standards.
ROI: 13.8x ($2.9M value generated).
Impact: Enabled $1.9M increase in harvester value.

Strategic Partnership

needCode is an official business partner of Qorvo, bringing over 8 years of proven expertise and trusted service to the technology sector.

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Members of the UWB Alliance

In 2025 we became a member of the UWB Alliance. This strategic step reinforces our commitment to pioneering Ultra-Wideband (UWB) technology.

Proudly Certified for Excellence and Security

needCode is officially certified for:
ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management
ISO/IEC 27001:2022 – Information Security

ISO certifications reflect our focus on delivering reliable IoT solutions, smart product development, and secure technology services.

Testimonials

“I think the key takeaway from needCode is their ability to adapt and understand the customer's requirements. That took away probably a large portion of what could have been a lot of development time and expense for both companies.”

Bob Folkestad

President at Creative Werks

“One aspect that truly sets needCode apart is its profound expertise in firmware development. Their proficiency in various programming languages, embedded systems and hardware architecture is truly impressive. When faced with difficult problems, their strong problem-solving skills and analytical mindset shine through, allowing them to overcome obstacles with remarkable ease.”

Semeh Sarhan

CEO at Xtrava

“I worked with needCode while leading the NWTN-Berlin team in 2018. A big chunk for our FW development has been outsourced to them and they had proven to iterate very quickly, following specs and deliver on time. It was great working with them. I recommend working with needCode’s team on any Embedded SW development.”

Marco Salvioli Mariani

CTO at NWTN Berlin GmbH

“needCode Team proved to be one of the best engineers I have ever met. The part I like the most about the team is the more difficult an obstacle seems to be, the more motivated they were to find a solution and a way forward.”

Szymon Słupik

CTO at Silvair

“needCode is an outstanding partner. Their quick follow-up, scalability, and extensive professional network set them apart. Their expertise in wireless technologies has been valuable, supporting us from low-level drivers to architecture discussions.”

Tim Allemeersch

Director at Qorvo, Inc.

“needCode did a great job improving the firmware of the Vai Kai connected toys and developing new features, surpassing our expectations multiple times. I would definitely recommend hiring Bartek and needCode for the embedded software projects!”

Matas Petrikas

CEO & Co-founder at Vai Kai UG

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