Toyota Tsusho Corporation (“Toyota Tsusho”) announced today that on September 9, 2024, it has signed a strategic partnership with Keyfactor, Inc. (“Keyfactor”), a U.S. cybersecurity company, to expand its business into a wide range of industries that require cybersecurity measures by utilizing Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) .
Toyota Tsusho is the first Japanese company to enter this partnership with Keyfactor.
PKI is a technology that uses “keys” and “digital certificates” to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and spoofing of communications and data and is used in all devices and software that require protected authentication and encryption of data and communications. The scope of its application is expected to expand further in the future.
Toyota Tsusho, together with its wholly owned subsidiary, Toyota Tsusho Systems Corporation (“Toyota Tsusho Systems”), began providing PKI services to the automotive industry in 2019. In 2023, Toyota Tsusho signed an agency agreement with Keyfactor, and since then, it has been providing customers with a comprehensive service that includes issuing digital certificates as well as managing the company’s systems and operations. In addition, Keyfactor has over 20 years of experience in PKI technology development and develops and provides its own software and hardware services, including EJBCA*. Its services have been adopted by over 1,500 companies in the fields of finance, automobiles, and government, and it has a track record of issuing over one billion digital certificates.
Through this partnership, Toyota Tsusho will accelerate the expansion of its cybersecurity business centered on PKI by combining Toyota Tsusho Systems’ global network and IT engineering structure with Keyfactor’s excellent cryptographic technology development capabilities. By enabling a flexible system development in line with customer needs, Toyota Tsusho will further strengthen its automotive cybersecurity. At the same time, Toyota Tsusho will provide services not only domestically but globally to industries that require cybersecurity measures in the future, including agricultural machinery, construction machinery, and other non-automotive mobility, as well as healthcare.
Toyota Tsusho will promote the social implementation of cryptographic technology centered on PKI and contribute to the construction of digital infrastructure that will realize a safe, secure, and friendly future.
*Enterprise JavaBeans Certificate Authority: the world’s most used PKI software that provides certificate authority functions for issuing, revoking, and managing digital certificates. Developed by PrimeKey Soltuions AB, a subsidiary of Keyfactor.
The signing ceremony
From left：Eiji Matsuzaki（CEO for Toyota Tsusho Digital Solutions Division）、Jordan Rackie （CEO for Keyfactor）、Hirotoshi Watanabe（CEO for Toyota Tsusho Systems）
Overview of Keyfactor, Inc.
The information in this release is current as of the date of announcement.
Please note that information may change after the date of announcement. Thank you in advance for your understanding.