Swiss-based cybersecurity company WISeKey International announced Monday its participation in Microsoft CityNext, a global initiative empowering cities, businesses and citizens to re-imagine their futures and cultivate vibrant communities.
Through the Microsoft CityNext initiative, Microsoft and WISeKey will help leaders to do “new with less,” by combining the power of technology with new ideas to securely connect governments, businesses and citizens with city services that increase efficiencies, reduce costs, foster a more sustainable environment and cultivate communities where people thrive.
Microsoft CityNext is a global people-first initiative harnessing all the ideas, energy and expertise of a city’s people to create modern, healthy, safe, well-educated and sustainable cities for the future. Microsoft CityNext empowers cities to do new with less, by building on existing infrastructure and investments to transform cities’ systems, services and operations; engage citizens and businesses by delivering personalized services and apps that foster real-time dialogue; and accelerate innovation and opportunity through programs and partnerships that empower and nurture the next generation of skilled workers.
Combining a network of global partners and Microsoft’s background of education, healthcare and social programs, Microsoft CityNext helps cities plan for and embrace the future.
WISeKey’s identity management and cybersecurity solution for IoT will provide smart cities with a scalable, easily manageable object identity management and security solution when connecting to Microsoft Azure and other Microsoft-based platforms. The Managed WISeKey Root of Trust (RoT) serves as a common trust anchor, which is recognized by operating systems (OS) and applications to ensure the authenticity, confidentiality and integrity of online transactions.
With the Cryptographic RoT embedded on a device, provided by WISeKey as a hardware Secure Element or a software Certificate, the IoT product manufacturers can protect the devices and secure the interactions among and between objects and people.
“Government employees and City infrastructure from traffic lights and smart parking solutions, to power grids and smart utility meters, are vulnerable to cyberattacks,” said Carlos Moreira, WISeKey’s CEO. “We view Microsoft’s CityNext initiative as an innovative force that will help to transform government infrastructure and we are pleased to have already collaborated with Microsoft on government and city cybersecurity projects in various countries around the globe.”
Cities have long been the center of industrial, economic and entrepreneurial activity fueling the rest of the world’s success. With more of the world’s population urbanizing, they face mounting pressures and challenges to maintain that standard and quality of life for citizens. It is expected that by 2030, six out of every ten people will live in a city.
“We’re thrilled to partner with WISeKey on Microsoft CityNext. Microsoft prioritizes a people- and partner-first approach across all our initiatives, and Microsoft CityNext is no different,” said Per Bendix Olsen, Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector. “While cities are feeling the strain from economic challenges, Microsoft CityNext ushers in innovative technology solutions to create opportunities for cities and their citizens, enabling them to accomplish what they never thought possible. We’re inspired by our diverse partner ecosystem and know that working together we can help cities realize their full potential.”
