Azure Sphere

Azure Sphere is an application platform with integrated communications and security features developed and managed by Microsoft for Internet Connected Devices.

Azure Sphere

Developer	Microsoft
Written in	C and others
OS family	Unix-like (Linux)
Working state	Current
Source model	At least partially open source
General availability	February 24, 2020; 4 years ago (February 24, 2020)
Latest release	23.05 / June 20, 2023; 10 months ago (June 20, 2023)^[1]
Latest preview	19.10^[2] / November 7, 2019; 4 years ago (2019-11-07)
Repository	github.com/microsoft/azurelinux
Platforms	ARM (MediaTek MT3620)
Kernel type	Monolithic kernel
License	To be determined
Official website	azure.microsoft.com/en-us/services/azure-sphere/

The platform consists of integrated hardware built around a silicon chip: the Azure Sphere OS (operating system for Azure Sphere), an operating system based on Linux, and the Azure Sphere Security Service, a cloud-based security service. Azure Sphere security was developed based on Microsoft Research's position on the seven required characteristics of highly secure devices.

Azure Sphere OS

The Azure Sphere OS is a custom Linux-based microcontroller operating system created by Microsoft to run on an Azure Sphere-certified chip and to connect to the Azure Sphere Security Service.^[3][4][5] The Azure Sphere OS provides a platform for Internet of things application development, including both high-level applications and real-time-capable applications. It is the first operating system running a Linux kernel^[6] that Microsoft has publicly released and the second Unix-like operating system that the company has developed for external (public) users, the other being Xenix.

Azure Sphere Security Service

The Azure Sphere Security Service, sometimes referred to as AS3, is a cloud-based service that enables maintenance, updates, and control for Azure Sphere-certified chips.^[7] The Azure Sphere Security Service establishes a secure connection between devices and the internet and/or cloud services and ensures secure boot. The primary purpose of contact between an Azure Sphere device and the Azure Sphere Security Service is to authenticate the device identity, ensure the integrity and trust of the system software, and to certify that the device is running a trusted code base. The service also provides the secure channel used by Microsoft to automatically download and install Azure Sphere OS updates and customer application updates to deployed devices.

Azure Sphere chips and hardware

Azure Sphere-certified chips and hardware support two general implementation categories: greenfield and brownfield. Greenfield implementation involves designing and building new IoT devices with an Azure Sphere-certified chip. Azure Sphere-certified chips are currently produced by MediaTek.^[8] In June 2019, NXP announced plans to produce a line of Azure Sphere-certified chips. In October 2019, Qualcomm announced plans to produce the first Azure Sphere-certified chips with cellular capabilities.^[9] Brownfield implementation involves the use of an Azure Sphere guardian device to securely connect an existing device to the internet. Azure Sphere guardian modules are currently produced by Avnet.

MediaTek 3620

MT3620 is the first Azure Sphere-certified chip and includes an ARM Cortex-A7 processor (500 MHz), two ARM Cortex-M4F I/O subsystems (200 MHz), 5x UART/I2C/SPI, 2x I2S, 8x ADC, up to 12 PWM counters and up to 72x GPIO, and Wi-Fi capability. MT3620 contains the Microsoft Pluton security subsystem with a dedicated ARM Cortext-M4F core that handles secure boot and secure system operation.

Azure Sphere Guardian module

An Azure Sphere Guardian module is external, add-on hardware that incorporates an Azure Sphere-certified chip and can be used to securely connect an existing device to the internet. In addition to an Azure-Sphere certified chip, an Azure Sphere Guardian module includes the Azure Sphere OS and the Azure Sphere Security Service. A guardian module is a method of implementing secure connectivity for existing devices without exposing those devices to the internet. The guardian module can be connected to a device through an existing peripheral on the device and is then connected to the internet through Wi-Fi or Ethernet. The device itself is not connected directly to the network.

Microsoft Pluton

Pluton is a Microsoft-designed security subsystem that implements a hardware-based root of trust for Azure Sphere. It includes a security processor core, cryptographic engines, a hardware random number generator, public/private key generation, asymmetric and symmetric encryption, support for elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA) verification for secured boot, and measured boot in silicon to support remote attestation with a cloud service, and various tampering counter-measures.^[10][11]

Application development

The Linux-based Azure Sphere OS is a platform designed for developers writing applications that use peripherals on the Azure Sphere chip. Applications can run on either the A7 core with access to external communications or as real-time capable apps on one of the M4 processors. Real-time capable applications can run on either bare metal or with a real-time operating system (RTOS). Developer applications can be distributed to Azure Sphere devices through the same secure mechanism as the Azure Sphere OS updates.

Timeline

The following is a list of announcements and releases from Microsoft around Azure Sphere.

Date	Description
2018-05-21	Azure Sphere Announcement^[12]
2018-09-24	Azure Sphere services are in public preview and dev kits are broadly available^[13]
2018-10-22	Explanation of Azure Sphere tenant concept^[14]
2018-11-05	Upcoming Azure Sphere 18.11 release^[15]
2018-11-16	Update 18.11 for Azure Sphere in public preview^[16]
2019-01-07	Description of Azure Sphere secured MCU^[17]
2019-01-09	Azure Sphere: Update to the 18.11 release^[18]
2019-02-15	Azure Sphere 19.02 Release^[19]
2019-03-15	Update 19.03 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation^[20]
2019-03-29	Update 19.03 for Azure Sphere public preview now available in Retail feed^[21]
2019-04-10	Update 19.04 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation^[22]
2019-04-24	Update 19.04 for Azure Sphere public preview now available in Retail feed^[23]
2019-05-16	Update 19.05 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation^[24]
2019-05-31	Azure Sphere 19.05 Release Unlocks new features in the MT3620^[25]
2019-06-24	Update 19.06 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation^[26]
2019-07-08	Update 19.06 for Azure Sphere public preview now available in Retail feed^[27]
2019-07-17	Update 19.07 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation^[28]
2019-07-31	The latest update to Azure Sphere (in preview) is now available in the retail feed^[29]
2019-09-25	Azure Sphere Preview – Update 19.09 is now available for evaluation^[30]
2019-11-01	Microsoft announces Azure Sphere will be generally available in February 2020^[31]
2019-11-07	Update 19.10 for Azure Sphere now available^[2]
2019-12-06	Azure Sphere update 19.11 is now available via retail feed^[32]
2020-02-24	Azure Sphere is now Generally Available^[33]
2020-08-20	Azure Sphere OS 20.08 is now available via retail feed^[34]
2022-06-20	Rust support announcement (preview) ^[35]
2023-06-20	Azure Sphere 23.05 Release^[36]

See also

• Intel Management Engine
• Next-Generation Secure Computing Base
• Trusted Computing
• Trusted Platform Module
• Windows Subsystem for Linux
• Xenix
• Windows IoT

References

1. "What's new in Azure Sphere". learn.microsoft.com/. Microsoft.
2. "Update 19.10 for Azure Sphere now available". azure.microsoft.com. November 7, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
3. Speed, Richard. "Now that's old-school cool: Microsoft techies slap Azure Sphere IoT chip in an Altair 8800". www.theregister.com.
4. Staff, Ars (April 16, 2018). "Microsoft's bid to secure the Internet of Things: Custom Linux, custom chips, Azure". Ars Technica.
5. "Microsoft's chip push continues with Azure Sphere: Securing gadgets with chips and Linux".
6. "Linux Is Microsoft's OS of Choice for Internet of Things Devices". Digital Trends. April 17, 2018.
7. richcalaway. "Terminology - Azure Sphere". docs.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
8. . Archived from the original on 2018-06-14. Retrieved 2018-04-18.
9. "Qualcomm to build Azure Sphere chips with Cellular connectivity". build5nines.com. October 23, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
10. Team, Microsoft 365 Defender Threat Intelligence (2020-11-17). "Meet the Microsoft Pluton processor – The security chip designed for the future of Windows PCs". Microsoft Security Blog. Retrieved 2022-11-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
11. vinaypamnani-msft. "Microsoft Pluton as Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0)". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
12. "Azure Sphere". azure.microsoft.com. May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
13. "Azure Sphere services are in public preview and dev kits are broadly available". azure.microsoft.com. September 24, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
14. "Background on Azure Sphere tenant concept". azure.microsoft.com. May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2018.
15. "Upcoming Azure Sphere 18.11 release". azure.microsoft.com. November 5, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
16. "Update 18.11 for Azure Sphere in public preview". azure.microsoft.com. November 16, 2018. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
17. "Azure Sphere - Anatomy of a secured MCU". azure.microsoft.com. January 7, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
18. "Azure Sphere: Update to the 18.11 release". azure.microsoft.com. January 9, 2019. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
19. "Azure Sphere 19.02 Releas". azure.microsoft.com. February 15, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
20. "Update 19.03 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation". azure.microsoft.com. March 15, 2019. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
21. "Update 19.03 for Azure Sphere public preview now available in Retail feed". azure.microsoft.com. March 29, 2019. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
22. "Update 19.04 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation". azure.microsoft.com. April 10, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
23. "Update 19.04 for Azure Sphere public preview now available in Retail feed". azure.microsoft.com. April 24, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2019.
24. "Update 19.05 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation". azure.microsoft.com. May 16, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
25. "Azure Sphere 19.05 Release Unlocks new features in the MT3620". azure.microsoft.com. May 31, 2019. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
26. "Update 19.06 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation". azure.microsoft.com. June 24, 2019. Retrieved June 24, 2019.
27. "Update 19.06 for Azure Sphere public preview now available in Retail feed". azure.microsoft.com. July 8, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
28. "Update 19.07 for Azure Sphere public preview now available for evaluation". azure.microsoft.com. July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
29. "The latest update to Azure Sphere (in preview) is now available in the retail feed". azure.microsoft.com. July 31, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
30. "Azure Sphere Preview—Update 19.09 is now available for evaluation". azure.microsoft.com. September 25, 2019. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
31. "Azure Sphere will be generally available in February 2020". azure.microsoft.com. November 1, 2019. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
32. "Azure Sphere update 19.11 is now available via retail feed". azure.microsoft.com. December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
33. "A secure foundation for IoT, Azure Sphere now generally available". azure.microsoft.com. February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
34. "Azure Sphere OS version 20.08 is now available". azure.microsoft.com. August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
35. "Previewing Rust on Azure Sphere". TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM. 2022-06-21. Retrieved 2022-06-21.
36. jws (2023-08-08). "What's new - Azure Sphere". learn.microsoft.com. Retrieved 2023-10-18.

External links

• Official website