Nippon RAD Develops "PEV," a High-Speed Application Pre-Execution Verification Engine to Prevent "Unauthorized App Execution" in the SDV Era
Nippon RAD has developed "PEV" (Pre Execute Verification), a new high-speed application pre-execution verification engine. This security solution for automotive, industrial, and consumer devices aims to prevent unauthorized application execution in the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era by swiftly verifying the authenticity of applications and libraries.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 13, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 13, 2026 at 10:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 14, 2026 at 06:15 (19h 43m after Collected)
Nippon RAD Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takayuki Otsuka; Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market, Securities Code: 4736; hereinafter "Nippon RAD") has recently developed "Pre Execute Verification (PEV)," a high-speed application pre-execution verification engine, as a new security solution for in-vehicle, industrial, and consumer devices within its Embedded Solution Division.
Automobiles are currently transitioning from a hardware-centric era to the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era, where functions are defined and updated by software. In industrial and consumer devices, while convenience is enhanced by IoT integration, cloud collaboration, and remote updates, protecting against unauthorized software intrusion and tampering has become a critical challenge.
Especially for devices that premise software updates and external connections, it is crucial to have a mechanism to verify that applications and libraries executed after OS boot are "truly legitimate," not just system verification during startup. PEV is a high-speed verification engine developed independently by Nippon RAD to address this challenge, verifying applications before their execution.
**Image of PEV's Role and Function**
**Main Features of PEV**
1. Verifies the authenticity of applications and libraries before execution.
2. Supports verification of interpreters and various services.
3. High-speed verification engine suppresses load during device usage.
4. Concealment of the verification engine itself enhances attack resistance.
5. Supports application updates and library updates.
6. Cloud service integration facilitates follow-up during development and evaluation phases.
7. Compatible with Linux / Android environments.
**Background of Development**
In SDV, cases where vehicle functions are added, improved, and maintained through software updates are increasing. Similarly, in industrial and consumer devices, network connectivity, cloud collaboration, OTA updates, and remote maintenance are becoming commonplace.
In such environments, there is a demand for a mechanism to continuously verify the authenticity of software not only at the time of product shipment but also during product use, after updates, and during maintenance operations.
In the automotive sector, UN Regulation No. 155 by the UN ECE is positioned as a regulation concerning vehicle cybersecurity and cybersecurity management systems. Furthermore, under the European CRA, cybersecurity measures for products containing digital elements throughout their lifecycle will be fully applicable and mandatory from November 2027.
PEV was developed to respond to these market conditions and to achieve pre-execution protection at the application layer for embedded devices, edge devices, and in-vehicle related devices.
**Provides 3 Functions**
**Future Development and Provision**
While Secure Boot is a mechanism that confirms the authenticity of bootloaders and operating systems during device startup, and Trust Boot is an approach to ensure a trusted boot path and execution base, the PEV developed by our company targets applications, libraries, interpreters, etc., executed after OS boot, and quickly verifies their authenticity immediately before execution. Therefore, PEV does not replace Secure Boot / Trust Boot; rather, it expands the scope of protection to higher application layers by combining with them.
Going forward, Nippon RAD will deploy PEV in a wide range of fields requiring software updates and security measures, including in-vehicle systems, industrial equipment, consumer devices, and IoT devices.
Currently, this product supports Linux / Android (Kernel 5.13 and later). Customers who sign an evaluation contract will be provided with a free evaluation version.
**About Nippon RAD Inc. - As a Home Doctor for Client Companies -**
Location: Akasaka 1-12-32 Ark Mori Building 30F, Minato-ku, Tokyo
President and CEO: Takayuki Otsuka
Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (Securities Code 4736)
Nippon RAD, celebrating its 55th anniversary, is a Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard-listed company primarily engaged in commissioned software development and system integration combining hardware and software. Since its establishment in 1971, it has provided solutions based on innovative core technologies and developed full-turnkey system construction and operation services. Since the handover of the founding family in 2023, the company has further accelerated its focus on technology, actively developing products and solutions in cutting-edge technology areas such as AI, IoT, and security, while also working on developing higher value-added services in existing areas such as cloud, medical, and video analysis. We aim to be a leader in manufacturing DX and industrial IoT fields.
Automobiles are currently transitioning from a hardware-centric era to the Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) era, where functions are defined and updated by software. In industrial and consumer devices, while convenience is enhanced by IoT integration, cloud collaboration, and remote updates, protecting against unauthorized software intrusion and tampering has become a critical challenge.
Especially for devices that premise software updates and external connections, it is crucial to have a mechanism to verify that applications and libraries executed after OS boot are "truly legitimate," not just system verification during startup. PEV is a high-speed verification engine developed independently by Nippon RAD to address this challenge, verifying applications before their execution.
**Image of PEV's Role and Function**
**Main Features of PEV**
1. Verifies the authenticity of applications and libraries before execution.
2. Supports verification of interpreters and various services.
3. High-speed verification engine suppresses load during device usage.
4. Concealment of the verification engine itself enhances attack resistance.
5. Supports application updates and library updates.
6. Cloud service integration facilitates follow-up during development and evaluation phases.
7. Compatible with Linux / Android environments.
**Background of Development**
In SDV, cases where vehicle functions are added, improved, and maintained through software updates are increasing. Similarly, in industrial and consumer devices, network connectivity, cloud collaboration, OTA updates, and remote maintenance are becoming commonplace.
In such environments, there is a demand for a mechanism to continuously verify the authenticity of software not only at the time of product shipment but also during product use, after updates, and during maintenance operations.
In the automotive sector, UN Regulation No. 155 by the UN ECE is positioned as a regulation concerning vehicle cybersecurity and cybersecurity management systems. Furthermore, under the European CRA, cybersecurity measures for products containing digital elements throughout their lifecycle will be fully applicable and mandatory from November 2027.
PEV was developed to respond to these market conditions and to achieve pre-execution protection at the application layer for embedded devices, edge devices, and in-vehicle related devices.
**Provides 3 Functions**
**Future Development and Provision**
While Secure Boot is a mechanism that confirms the authenticity of bootloaders and operating systems during device startup, and Trust Boot is an approach to ensure a trusted boot path and execution base, the PEV developed by our company targets applications, libraries, interpreters, etc., executed after OS boot, and quickly verifies their authenticity immediately before execution. Therefore, PEV does not replace Secure Boot / Trust Boot; rather, it expands the scope of protection to higher application layers by combining with them.
Going forward, Nippon RAD will deploy PEV in a wide range of fields requiring software updates and security measures, including in-vehicle systems, industrial equipment, consumer devices, and IoT devices.
Currently, this product supports Linux / Android (Kernel 5.13 and later). Customers who sign an evaluation contract will be provided with a free evaluation version.
**About Nippon RAD Inc. - As a Home Doctor for Client Companies -**
Location: Akasaka 1-12-32 Ark Mori Building 30F, Minato-ku, Tokyo
President and CEO: Takayuki Otsuka
Listed on Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard Market (Securities Code 4736)
Nippon RAD, celebrating its 55th anniversary, is a Tokyo Stock Exchange Standard-listed company primarily engaged in commissioned software development and system integration combining hardware and software. Since its establishment in 1971, it has provided solutions based on innovative core technologies and developed full-turnkey system construction and operation services. Since the handover of the founding family in 2023, the company has further accelerated its focus on technology, actively developing products and solutions in cutting-edge technology areas such as AI, IoT, and security, while also working on developing higher value-added services in existing areas such as cloud, medical, and video analysis. We aim to be a leader in manufacturing DX and industrial IoT fields.