Sig-Net
Sig-Net is a new protocol and initiative started by the entertainment industry as a response to upcoming cybersecurity legislation - most notably the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) - that will have significant impact on the requirements of how devices and software communicate with one-another.
Sig-Net aims to get ahead of the regulation, and design a reliable framework and protocol for the needs of the industry before the act comes into effect.
To remain compliant, all Manufacturers and Software Developers creating products in this space will need to understand the requirements of the CRA, and likely implement Sig-Net to be able to continue to sell their products in the EU.
Sig-Net aims to be a transport layer that will handle:
- DMX & RDM
- Timecode protocols
- Firmware updates
And focuses on authenticated & cryptographically signed messages between devices and software, ensuring that messages cannot be spoofed or tampered with in transit (for example a malicious actor between a lighting console and lights on a stage).
Sig-Net Authorship
Sig-Net's primary architecture is Wayne Howell, who is also the author of the ArtNet protocol, and has been significantly involved in the development of RDM and many of the lighting-control standards that are used in the entertainment industry today.
With that said, the approach to designing and developing Sig-Net has been a much more collaborative effort than previous protocols, and involves representatives from many of the major manufacturers and software developers in the industry. For example, there is a community discord where the protocol is being discussed and developed, and an SDK with example source code is available on GitHub.