To the end customer, certificates provide the basis for strong authentication of devices on IoT networks. The Mirai botnet is an example of the problem of weak authentication provided by static credentials such as username/password authentication as well as static shared secrets burned-in at the point of manufacture. We understand that manufacturers are under pressure to get their IoT products to market quickly and for that reason we have a cloud based issuance platform that is built with IoT in mind. There is no longer a commercial reason to forego strong security in IoT devices.
From a supply chain perspective, it is vital to ensure that parts from source vendors are genuine. Third-party-issued certificates can replace manufacturer certificates for devices coming from untrusted manufacturing plants, or enable trust between third parties that are part of a supply chain.