How does Axiado’s chip prevent cyberattacks?

• Axiado’s chip provides security by authenticating boot-level updates and regularly checking the boot sequence, preventing boot-level attacks from compromising systems.
• The chip also offers runtime protection, using root-of-trust technology and AI-driven monitoring to detect and respond to malicious activity, acting as a last line of defense against cyberattacks.

What happened

Axiado, a cybersecurity startup, has developed a new chip designed to prevent cyberattacks by securing both the boot process and runtime operations of devices, from data centers to 5G base stations. The company, founded in 2017, uses hardware-level security to protect devices against vulnerabilities that can occur during the boot sequence, an often-targeted point of entry for cyberattacks.

The Axiado chip authenticates boot-level updates and regularly checks the integrity of the boot sequence, preventing boot-level attacks. It also provides runtime security, securing software, applications, and workloads after the boot process, making it comparable to other security chips like Microsoft’s Pluton, Google’s Titan, and Apple’s T2. The chip employs root-of-trust technology to cryptographically protect against hardware tampering and uses AI-powered cybersecurity monitoring to detect malicious activity.

Axiado’s technology is seen as complementary to software-based solutions and offers an additional line of defense against ransomware and other attacks. The company’s latest launch also includes a system that dynamically adjusts cooling in data centers to reduce operational costs, further expanding its influence in the cybersecurity and AI-driven infrastructure markets.

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Why it’s important

Cyberattacks are on the rise, and traditional security methods are no longer sufficient to safeguard increasingly complex digital infrastructures. Axiado’s chip offers a robust solution by securing both the boot process and runtime operations, two critical phases in a device’s lifecycle. This dual-layer protection can significantly reduce the risk of cyberattacks targeting sensitive systems, especially in sectors like data centers and 5G networks.

While hardware solutions like Axiado’s chip are not a cure-all for cybersecurity, they provide a vital last line of defense, complementing existing software-based protections. As the threat landscape evolves, Axiado’s technology offers a promising way to bolster security measures, especially in industries where uptime and data integrity are paramount. With $140 million in funding and partnerships with companies like Jabil, Axiado is positioning itself to become a key player in the growing cybersecurity hardware market, which is critical as cyberattacks continue to escalate globally.