The number of Internet-connected automobiles, smart meters and home-monitoring systems has increased dramatically, yet cybersecurity services to safeguard them are proving to be inadequate. To address this emerging technology risk, Verizon Enterprise Solutions has launched Managed Certificate Services, a next-generation, cloud-based platform.

Offering a first line of defense, Verizon’s new Managed Certificate Services (MCS) platform is specifically designed to authenticate objects and machines -- verifying object and machine “identities” -- and securing data transmitted between these connections. It is available immediately in the US and Europe, with a December rollout planned for the Asia-Pacific region.

Verizon’s new class of cloud-based certificates provides strong security while eliminating the need for expensive hardware and complex implementations that were once the hallmark of public key infrastructure (PKI)-based solutions. Verizon MCS offers a fully managed environment that allows clients to remain focused on their core business without the complexity and cost of managing and monitoring their certificate infrastructure.

In addition, the new services employ a pay-as-you-go model so that organisations only pay for resources they need when they need them.

Verizon’s next-generation MCS portfolio suitable for a range of uses

Verizon’s next-generation MCS portfolio is applicable for a wide range of uses. They include authenticating and verifying applications; services and enterprise infrastructures such as online shopping cart applications; and e-government service delivery such as license plate renewals and passport services requiring sophisticated identity-proofing capabilities.

Verizon’s next-generation MCS platform also can help enterprises to address new regulatory guidelines aimed at protecting device-to-machine and machine-to-machine connections now found in automobiles, smart meters and home-monitoring systems.