ST factory-loads Matter authentication keys onto secure chips

STMicroelectronics has launched ST MatterConnect, a personalization service that loads Matter authentication credentials into secure chips at the company's own factories before devices ship. The service targets two existing ST parts: the ST25DA-C dynamic NFC tag and the STSAFE-A120 secure element.

Data injected includes the mandatory Matter Device Attestation Certificate (DAC), along with cryptographic keys, product and version information, and customer personalization details, according to ST. The company says its certified secure factories allow it to generate and inject these credentials in-house, rather than customers handling provisioning separately after manufacture.

ST states it holds status as an approved Product Attestation Authority (PAA) and Product Attestation Intermediate (PAI) within the Matter ecosystem, which it says lets equipment makers obtain compliant, trusted credentials without building their own secure provisioning infrastructure. Sylvain Fidelis, Multi-Market Business Line Manager at STMicroelectronics, said the service preloads Matter-ready devices with necessary certificates and keys, which the company says reduces operational costs and complexity and shortens time to market for new products.

Role of the two chips

The ST25DA-C tag supports the Matter device NFC commissioning flow, which ST says allows end users to connect devices from different ecosystems, such as smart lightbulbs, plugs, smoke alarms, security cameras and presence sensors, without multiple proprietary hubs.

STSAFE-A120 connects to a device host via an I²C interface and provides authentication for Matter devices alongside other IoT security services, including secure connection establishment and integrity verification. ST says the part runs on a CC EAL5+ certified platform.

ST has not disclosed pricing or specific customer commitments for the MatterConnect service in this announcement.