What is IoT SAFE and How Does it Compare to Soracom Krypton?
Written by: Ryan Carlson
Published: May 20, 2025
Securing IoT devices at scale is one of the challenges developers face today. From loading individual device credentials at the factory setup to deployment, managing device credentials can be complex, time-consuming, and vulnerable to human error. That’s where SIM-based credential provisioning comes into play; while IoT SAFE is a term referencing a developing industry standard, Soracom offers a modern and flexible solution that makes the provisioning process simple and easy to manage, but without requiring devices to have a special IoT SAFE SIM.
What Is IoT SAFE?
IoT SAFE (IoT SIM Applet For Secure End-to-End Communication) is a GSMA-backed standard that uses a device’s SIM as a secure element to store cryptographic keys and establish trusted communication between the IoT device and cloud services. It’s designed to provide a consistent, hardware-backed root of trust across mobile networks without needing a separate security chip.
It works by using a pre-loaded applet on the SIM to handle encryption, authentication, and key exchange processes. IoT SAFE represents a step forward in standardizing secure IoT deployments – especially for mobile network operators and device manufacturers relying on traditional provisioning workflows.
An Alternate, Secure Provisioning Solution Tested for Years
Soracom’s Krypton service builds on the foundation of SIM-based security but introduces key enhancements that make it ideal for developers looking for cloud integration, operational flexibility, and streamlined manufacturing.
1. Dynamic Credential Provisioning
With Krypton, credentials are provisioned dynamically during the bootstrapping process by adding a simple API call to the device firmware bootup process. This eliminates the need to preload sensitive credentials at the factory, reducing manufacturing complexity and improving security.
2. Cloud-Ready Integration
Krypton integrates natively with cloud platforms like AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub, and Amazon Cognito. Devices can automatically register and receive credentials directly from these services, simplifying cloud onboarding and ongoing management of devices that require frequent authentication and updated credentials pushed to deployed devices on a schedule.
3. Lower Hardware Costs
Because Soracom uses the device’s SIM (or eSIM or iSIM) as the secure element, there’s no need for a separate hardware security module, this reduces your device’s bill of materials (BOM) and overall complexity.
4. Network Flexibility
Unlike some solutions tied solely to cellular networks, Soracom Krypton can be paired with Soracom Endorse to allow provisioning workflows to authenticate using cellular, Wi-Fi, or Ethernet connections. This means you can still initially provision and test a device when a manufacturing facility is located in a region lacking appropriate cellular coverage.
5. Streamlined Manufacturing
With Krypton, you can flash a single firmware image across all your devices and provision credentials later via API, removing the need for per-device customization during production.
6. Deferring Ongoing Expenses
For many manufacturers of connected hardware, once a device is powered on and activated, there are monthly device fees from IoT platforms and cellular network providers. With Krypton, device registration with your cloud platform and cellular plan activation happens when it’s time to deploy a device, potentially saving months of ongoing fees.
How Does Krypton Compare to IoT SAFE?
IoT SAFE provides a standardized, SIM-based security model ideal for large-scale, operator-driven deployments. However, it often relies on static provisioning models and more traditional integration pathways.
Soracom Krypton, on the other hand, is designed with developers in mind. It prioritizes flexibility, dynamic provisioning, and out-of-the-box cloud integration, making launching and scaling modern IoT applications across diverse environments easier.
Why Choose Krypton?
Soracom Krypton offers a developer-friendly alternative to existing provisioning standards – one that embraces the strengths of SIM-based security while removing the rigidity of traditional models and additional hardware requirements. With dynamic credentials, seamless cloud integration, and multi-network support, it’s built for teams that value flexibility, speed, and scalability.
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