Talking to EFY’s Nitisha Dubey, Pantherun CEO Srinivas Shekhar unveiled their game-changing AES encryption, which makes use of AI to generate keys by itself, safeguarding car communications from unauthorised entry!
Q. Are you able to introduce Pantherun and its core expertise?
A. We’re a cybersecurity innovator specialising in high-performance encryption options for each silicon and software program. Utilizing an industry-standard strategy for superior encryption requirements (AES), now we have developed a patented encryption and key administration system that eliminates the necessity for key change. Our keyless, no-key change methodology removes the vulnerabilities related to complicated procedures, equivalent to delays, insecure start-up encryption, publicity to eavesdroppers, and weaknesses towards quantum assaults. So, you see, our strategy ensures safe AES encryption with out the dangers inherent in conventional key change strategies.
Q. How does your patented strategy improve AES community safety?
A. Nowadays, intruders are at all times listening in networks, and it’s well-known that hackers can stay undetected for months. They’ll monitor all information exchanges, together with key exchanges, creating important flaws. So, our patented strategy enhances AES, a extremely safe encryption methodology, by eliminating the necessity for key change. This reduces the danger of community vulnerabilities brought on by key exchanges. That is the essence of our patent.
Q. How does your AI algorithm get rid of the necessity for AES key change?
A. AES encryption depends on a key with a number of key lengths accessible (128, 192, or 256 bits). For information to be encrypted and decrypted, a secret’s essential. Within the conventional AES implementation, a key change is required: the vacation spot sends a key to the supply, which encrypts the info and sends it again to the vacation spot for decryption. With out key change, AES can’t perform in its present kind. Our patented strategy eliminates this want by utilizing an AI algorithm to generate keys at each the supply and vacation spot independently. The supply encrypts the info, and the vacation spot makes use of its AI algorithm to create a key and decrypt the info. This utterly removes the necessity for key change.
Q. How does your resolution differentiate itself from different opponents?
A. Others have additionally carried out AES however depend on key change. With out that, they can not implement AES. We’re the one ones who’ve carried out AES with out key change, as malicious entities can intercept this course of. We now have ensured that nobody can entry the important thing. Because of this, solely encrypted information is seen, and it can’t be decrypted by unauthorised events, considerably enhancing information safety. Moreover, by eliminating key change, we scale back community site visitors, permitting the community to give attention to important duties and function extra effectively.
Q. Is there a selected tenure for using your expertise?
A. AES encryption has been an ordinary for about 15 to twenty years and is predicted to stay for the following 35 to 40 years as a result of its issue in cracking with out a key. This expertise shouldn’t be more likely to grow to be out of date. The necessity for strong encryption will persist as information volumes proceed to develop dramatically, particularly with AI operating on enormous datasets. Subsequently, it’s poised to remain related for a very long time.
Q. Which industries are you catering to?
A. Initially, we focused mission-critical industries equivalent to automotive, industrial, and army sectors, the place now we have seen important adoption of our encryption strategy. Whereas these areas are our major focus, our expertise can be being explored for purposes in smartphone encryption and private units like AI laptops. Though various industries are concerned about our options, the basic sectors stay our important precedence.
Q. What dangers do linked automobiles face with out correct encryption and community safety?
A. Automobiles are more and more linked, sharing information on highway situations and site visitors and shifting in direction of self-driving capabilities. This connectivity raises the danger of exterior breaches, the place malicious entities might management a automotive’s capabilities, posing critical security dangers. Defending automotive networks is essential to forestall such threats. Moreover, automobiles retailer delicate private info like seating preferences, locations, and areas, elevating important privateness issues. Encrypting this information is important for shielding privateness and stopping unauthorised entry in linked autos.
Q. How does your encryption strategy safe communication between various automotive management boards?
A. Trendy autos within the automotive {industry} characteristic hard-wired networks with over 150 management boards managing capabilities just like the engine, doorways, infotainment techniques, and dashboard. These boards should talk, however implementing AES encryption on such various {hardware} is difficult, leaving in-car communication unprotected. Automobiles with on-board SIMs for exterior connections, like these from MG, are vulnerable to unauthorised entry. Our strategy ensures all communication between management boards is secured. Thus, even when a malicious entity beneficial properties entry via the SIM, it’ll solely see encrypted information, rendering it unreadable and stopping any injury to the automotive’s community or techniques.
Q. Are there any automotive firms at present utilizing your companies?
A. We’re collaborating with firms like Intel and AMD, which have many automotive clients, and we’re concerned in quite a few design tasks utilizing their silicon. Whereas these designs are nonetheless in progress, we’re witnessing rising curiosity and adoption from the automotive {industry}.
Q. Is the demand on your resolution increased within the Indian market or globally?
A. Our resolution is targeted on safeguarding people, making it relevant to a worldwide and home market. Whereas India nonetheless sells many economical automobiles, these autos more and more incorporate electronics. Options like automated window buttons, which have been as soon as uncommon, at the moment are customary even in entry-level autos, bringing superior electronics into practically each automotive. The demand for our expertise is worldwide, not restricted to any specific non-Indian market. Furthermore, the electrical scooter market is booming, that includes quite a few electronics and keyless beginning techniques. These developments additionally require safety, as it’s comparatively simple for somebody to spoof identities and take management of a scooter or automotive. Complete safety is important throughout all sorts of autos.
Q. What markets do you serve, and the way do you entry them?
A. Within the automotive house, we usually work with tier-one firms, offering them with our expertise to combine into the electronics they provide to automotive producers. For instance, Mahindra and TATA have tier-one suppliers. Internationally, firms like Harman and Bosch in Europe, Delphi and Johnson Controls within the US, and Denso in Japan function tier-one suppliers. These names are additionally acquainted in India, the place many firms design and manufacture autos. The tier-one firms have R&D bases on this nation as properly. Moreover, firms like Continental, Hyundai Mobis, and Hyundai Autonet cater to the European and Korean markets.
Q. Do you’ve any upcoming partnerships or plans to develop your enterprise?
A. Sure, as I mentioned, we not too long ago introduced partnerships with Intel and AMD to convey our mixed applied sciences to market. Along with these, we’re constructing a worldwide reseller community. We at present have resellers in a number of European international locations and are increasing our community to incorporate the Center East, North America, Asia, and different areas. Our go-to-market technique depends on working with companions to develop our enterprise.
Q. How was your final fiscal 12 months, and what are your expectations for the following two years?
A. We skilled fourfold progress final 12 months, and this 12 months has began much more potent. Our income within the first three months surpassed the earlier 12 months’s whole. Our objective is to quadruple our revenues once more this time. Financially, we’re heading in the right direction and snowballing.
