Skip links
DEMO
Login
  • Overview
    Overview

    KEYNOA leverages unique identities to ensure secure and efficient device onboarding. Discover our concept.

    Test now
    Eval Kit

    Experience the benefits of digital identities for your value chain free of charge for four weeks and streamline your processes.

    KEYNOA Engine

    Discover the KEYNOA Engine and create devices with unique identities to enhance IT security, ensuring reliable and secure operations.

    KEYNOA Features

    KEYNOA helps you integrate and manage devices while adhering to the latest IT security standards across diverse infrastructures.

    Knowledge

    Learn about key topics like Security by Design, PKI, and digital identities. Discover how these concepts can enhance Your IT security.

  • Manufacturer
    Overview

    KEYNOA uses unique identities to make the commissioning of devices secure and efficient. Get to know our concept.

    Test now
    Eval kit

    Test the benefits of digital identities for your value chain for four weeks free of charge.

    Use for Device Manufacturers

    With a focus on state-of-the-art technology, we support device manufacturers in meeting the necessary safety standards.

    Consulting Device Manufacturers

    Consulting expertise for comprehensive device security and smooth onboarding.

    Article: SPS Magazine

    Find out in our article in SPS magazine how components can be prepared for the digital age with KEYNOA.

    Podcast: IPH

    In the podcast "Praxisnah" from the Institut für Integrierte Produktion Hannover we talk about how companies can use the "Internet of Things" securely.

  • Users
    Overview

    KEYNOA uses unique identities to make the commissioning of devices secure and efficient. Get to know our concept.

    Compatible devices

    Order devices that are compatible with KEYNOA and start scaling your projects today.

    Users

    Automate repetitive tasks when configuring devices and deliver confidence across the entire value chain.

    Consulting Integrators

    Consulting Operators

    Article: IT&Production

    Find out in IT&Production magazine how KEYNOA can be used to integrate many IoT devices quickly and securely.

    Article: Industrial automation

    In the "5 questions for..." section, Sven Uthe (CTO DEVITY) explains why digital identities are the driver for hyper-automated infrastructures.

  • Services
    Demo

    Practical insights: Discover our demo for an immediate impression of KEYNOA.

    Test now
    Eval kit

    Test the benefits of digital identities for your value chain for four weeks free of charge.

    Services

    With a team of experts, DEVITY supports and advises you in the scaling of large-scale projects.

    Consulting

    We are experts in IT security in the IoT. You too can benefit from our many years of experience in research and industry.

    CyberRiskCheck

    Not sure whether your IT infrastructure is adequately protected? Do the cyber risk check with DEVITY now.

    Knowledge

    Gain knowledge on various topics such as security by design, PKI and digital identities.

    Article: MaschinenMarkt

    Find out why digital identities are a key element of IT security and help protect against cyber attacks.

  • About Us
    References & Partners

    Partnerships and success stories: Our daily collaboration for a secure networked world.

    Trade fairs & events

    Get an insight into our presence at important trade fairs and events.

    Demo

    Practical insights: Discover our demo for an immediate impression of KEYNOA.

    About us

    Find out more about what drives DEVITY and what our vision and mission are.

    Career

    You share our passion for IT security and the latest technologies. Get started with us now!

    Contact us

    Would you like to find out more? Contact us for inquiries and further information.

    Blog

    Get a comprehensive insight into the latest trends in digital identities for the IoT.

    Knowledge

    Gain knowledge on various topics such as security by design, PKI and digital identities.

Published in: IT security

What is a digital identity in Industrial IoT and why is it important?

What is a digital identity in Industrial IoT and why is it important?

What is a digital identity in Industrial IoT and why is it important?

Machines, sensors, edge devices, and platforms are constantly exchanging data in industrial environments. Systems are controlled based on this data, manufacturers access it remotely for maintenance, and individual systems are interconnected across locations to form end-to-end networks.
Today, technical connectivity is no longer the main challenge. The key factor is the ability to clearly identify and control who is communicating with a system and who is allowed to access it at any time.
Without digital identities, systems can be connected—but it remains unclear who is actually interacting with them. For operators of production facilities and industrial IoT architects, this clear identification is therefore a prerequisite for stable and scalable operations.
The central question is:
Which system is communicating right now—and is it authorized to do so?
To answer this question reliably in distributed and multi-site architectures, each system requires its own digital identity.
In many industrial IoT architectures, a simple principle still applies: if you are in the right network, you are considered trustworthy. While this model works in isolated environments, it quickly loses control in interconnected systems.
In the Industrial IoT, trust is no longer based on network location, but on the verifiable identity of each individual device. Digital identity therefore becomes the technical foundation for trust between systems.

What is a digital identity in Industrial IoT?

A digital identity in the Industrial IoT is a cryptographically secured proof of identity for an industrial device. It enables every communication and access request to be clearly assigned to a specific system—and automatically verified for authorization.
Technically, it is typically based on:

a cryptographic key pair stored in the device

a digital certificate that uniquely binds the identity

a trusted certificate authority

This transforms an anonymous network participant into a clearly identifiable communication partner that:

can prove its identity cryptographically

establishes encrypted connections

ensures the integrity of transmitted data

Why digital identities are crucial for security and operations in the Industrial IoT

In connected industrial environments, manufacturers access systems remotely, status data is transmitted to central platforms, and machines communicate across locations.

This creates a new requirement: communication must be clearly identifiable and automatically controllable.

Without digital identities, access may work technically—but during operation, it becomes impossible to trace which system performed a specific action. Permissions are handled manually, and audits require significant effort to reconstruct events.

Digital identities close this gap. They make communication verifiable and controllable—independent of network boundaries.

This establishes the foundation for secure and efficient operation of connected systems, with direct impact on day-to-day production:

Secure machine communication

Only devices with verified identities can exchange data. Unauthorized participants are automatically excluded.

Unique access control

Access is no longer based on network location or shared credentials, but tied to the identity of each system. Every action remains traceable.

Reliable production data

Data is only trustworthy if its source is verified. Digital identities ensure that production and status data originate from authenticated systems.

Scalable integration of new devices

New machines and software services are integrated via their identity—without complex, manual security approvals. For production managers, this means less coordination effort and significantly faster onboarding.

Economic benefits of digital identities in Industrial IoT operations

The technical foundation of trust has a direct impact on the stability of production environments.

The technical foundation of trust has a direct impact on the stability of production environments.

When communication can be clearly identified and automatically verified:

the risk of unplanned downtime due to misconfigurations or unclear access is reduced

new machines can be integrated much faster

remote service becomes possible without introducing additional production risks

multiple sites can be operated using a consistent model

Verifiable trust thus becomes a prerequisite for stable and economically scalable system operations.

End-to-end security architecture in the Industrial IoT through digital identities

Digital identities are not an additional feature—they are the common foundation on which access control, security policies, and system integration can be consistently managed.
Without this clear assignment, fragmented solutions emerge in which trust must be established manually again and again.
Only the consistent identity of each device makes it possible to:

automatically and reliably deploy new systems

manage devices consistently throughout their entire lifecycle

securely integrate additional services into existing environments

Conclusion: Digital identity as the foundation for a secure and controllable Industrial IoT

Digital identities answer the central question of trust in connected production environments: Which system is communicating—and is it authorized to do so?
They shift the industrial trust model from network-based trust to verifiable device identity.
This makes it possible to:

verify communication between machines end-to-end

clearly assign and control access

ensure that data originates from a trustworthy source

operate networked architectures in a consistently manageable way

Without identity, networking remains a purely technical connection.
Digital identity transforms connectivity into a controllable operational state. It creates verifiable trust—and thus the foundation for stable, digital production.
WordPress Cookie Notice by Real Cookie Banner