Skudo OÜ

Skudo is a European developer of hardware-based cybersecurity solutions for space, UAV, and defense applications. Founded in Estonia in 2019, the company designs FPGA-based secure embedded systems and cryptographic IP cores to protect mission-critical communication links. Skudo’s approach focuses on eliminating reliance on opaque, third-party encryption components by providing fully auditable, verifiable hardware security modules developed entirely in Europe. At the core of its technology is a proprietary FPGA-based Hardware Security Module (HSM), available both as IP cores and integrated modules. It provides hardware-rooted cryptographic functions including secure key generation and storage, AES-CTR/GCM, hashing, asymmetric cryptography (Ed25519/X25519), and Post-Quantum Cryptography (Kyber, Dilithium). A RISC-V core enables protocol handling and secure processing. All cryptographic implementations are under full source control. Skudo has been awarded two European Defence Fund (EDF) projects: EDF2023 – HSM4COM: hardware encryption and attestation for satellites, UAVs, and ground systems EDF2024 – SIGMA: secure communication modules and data protection architectures for space and defense The company has demonstrated its technology in orbit on ESA’s OPS-SAT satellite and participates in multiple ESA programs. Key solutions include: KIRO: FPGA-based encrypted Iridium SBD module for global telemetry and command in RF-denied environments SERPE: low-latency (~1 ms) analogue FPV video encryption system with AES-CTR and asymmetric pairing Supernova: secure MAVLink telemetry module for UAV communications Encrypted satellite messaging modules: hardware-encrypted global communication (270–340 byte messages, ~10–30 s latency) Skudo provides both deployable hardware and licensable IP cores, focusing on crypto-agility, low-SWaP design, and independent verification for defense and aerospace systems.