Extending IoT security with the world's first PSA Level 4 certification

Silicon Labs has announced that its Series 3 Secure Vault security subsystem on the SiXG301 SoC, the first SoC in its Series 3 portfolio, has achieved the world's first PSA Level 4 certification. This achievement – the highest level recognised by PSA Certified – affirms its security leadership and its legacy of embedding trust at the core of connected technology.

"Security isn't just a feature – it's foundational to everything we develop," said Matt Johnson, president and CEO of Silicon Labs. "Being the first to achieve PSA Level 4 certification is a powerful validation of our leadership in IoT security and our focus on accelerating IoT growth."

PSA Certified introduced the Level 4 certification and its two designations, iSE/SE for secure elements and ROT for Root of Trust, to manage the rising complexity and sophistication of physical attacks on embedded devices. Unlike previous levels, Level 4 validates resilience against laser fault injection, side-channel attacks, microprobing, and voltage manipulation – threats once regarded as theoretical but now part of the evolving reality.

The company has consistently led the industry in attaining PSA milestones. Its MG21 SoC was the world's first device to earn PSA Level 3 certification, setting new benchmarks in protection against physical tampering and setting the stage for this next leap to Level 4. Its SoCs were also the industry's first to reach PSA Levels 1 and 2.

The company collaborated with Keysight Technologies to validate Secure Vault on Series 3 for PSA Level 4. Its experts noted the seamless partnership with Silicon Labs' engineering team, which demonstrated deep technical expertise and adaptability throughout the audit process.

"Keysight is proud to have supported Silicon Labs in achieving the world's first PSA Level 4 certification," said Marc Witteman, technical director, Keysight Device Security Testing at Keysight Technologies. "Our advanced testing methodologies, including side-channel analysis and fault injection, were instrumental to validating the Series 3 Secure Vault on the SiXG301's resilience against today's most sophisticated threats. This milestone reflects our commitment to helping innovators like Silicon Labs meet the highest levels of security assurance and regulatory readiness in a rapidly evolving IoT landscape."

The Series 3 Secure Vault and the SiXG301 SoC's resilience are not simply about meeting today's standards – it is about anticipating future threats. The security subsystem and SoC were engineered to endure over a decade in the field, with industry-leading defences against threats not yet commonplace. When combined with over-the-air firmware and software updates and real-time monitoring, Series 3 Secure Vault and the SiXG301 exemplify security as an ongoing lifecycle, not a one-time event.

The Series 3 platform, built on a 22nm process node, is an industry leader in security and builds upon the company's award-winning Series 2 security legacy and scales it with PSA Level 4 capabilities. All Series 3 devices are intended to feature this industry-leading enhanced security foundation, with the SiXG301 expected to be the first to market with PSA Level 4 certification when it becomes available in Q3 2025.

As governments around the globe enact new regulations – such as the EU's Radio Equipment Directive (RED) and CRA, the US Cyber Trust Mark, and Singapore's Cybersecurity Labelling Scheme (CLS) – Silicon Labs stands ready to assist device makers to align with emerging mandates. Its holistic approach to security and expert guidance provides product teams a head start on regulatory readiness and consumer trust, backed by independent lab validation.

With the EU's RED regulations now in effect as of August 1, 2025, Silicon Labs' Secure Vault – when properly implemented – provides the features required for compliance. Developers can register for an upcoming webinar, Stay Ahead of Global IoT Security Regulations with Silicon Labs, to learn how to integrate RED-ready security into their products.