CSA introduces Aliro 1.0 - A unified standard to transform the access control ecosystem

DAVIS, Calif.—The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) has announced the release of the Aliro 1.0 specification, a new communication protocol and credential standard designed to revolutionize how users interact with access points in every aspect of their lives.

While the convenience of unlocking a smart home lock often captures public attention, Aliro is built for broader impact, aiming to streamline interoperability across varied access control use cases, including corporate offices, universities, hospitality venues, and single and multi-family residential homes.

Driving adoption through major wallet integration

A key differentiator for Aliro is the confirmed commitment from the world’s leading mobile wallet ecosystems. By aligning with Apple, Google, and Samsung, Aliro offers a standardized digital credential experience leveraging the smartphones and wearables people use every day. This strategic collaboration expands adoption pathways, empowering users to move easily between homes, workplaces, and public spaces using the secure digital wallets native to their operating systems.

“Aliro is solving the fragmentation that has held back digital key adoption, replacing it with a single interoperability standard built through Alliance Member collaboration. By connecting the access control industry directly to leading mobile wallet ecosystems, it delivers a secure, frictionless experience that goes well beyond the front door. Lower integration complexity means faster innovation and shorter time to market. This is how the future of access control gets built,” said Tobin Richardson, president and CEO, Connectivity Standards Alliance.

A unified standard for secured, seamless access

The Aliro 1.0 specification establishes a robust framework utilizing asymmetric cryptography to ensure secured and trusted interactions between user devices and readers, while respecting user privacy. This standardized protocol is designed for broad application across the entire access control ecosystem, providing a reliable experience in corporate offices, universities, hospitality venues, single and multi-family homes, and even areas without network coverage, such as underground parking garages and elevators.

To meet diverse installation requirements, the specification supports a variety of transport technologies, including Near Field Communication (NFC) for tap-to-access, Bluetooth Low Energy (Bluetooth LE) for user-initiated long-range communication, and Bluetooth LE plus Ultra-Wideband (UWB) for a seamless, secured hands-free authentication method. To ensure global reliability, Aliro includes a comprehensive certification program and supporting test suites managed through authorized test labs. 

This initiative unifies a global collective of over 220 member companies – from lock manufacturers to silicon vendors and mobile platform leaders – working together to pave the way for a better, more secure mobile access experience.

Through close collaboration, member companies, including Apple, ASSA ABLOY, Google LLC, Infineon Technologies AG, Last Lock, Inc., Samsung Electronics, and STMicroelectronics pooled technologies, expertise, and innovations to enable the Aliro 1.0 specification, with Apple, Allegion, Aqara, Google LLC, HID, Kastle, Kwikset, Last Lock, Inc., Nordic Semiconductor, Nuki Home Solutions, NXP Semiconductors, Qorvo, Samsung Electronics, STMicroelectronics, expected to be the first to achieve Aliro 1.0 certification.

Empowering the value chain

Aliro provides tangible benefits across the entire industry value chain by lowering implementation barriers and reducing overall complexity for stakeholders. For manufacturers, the standard acts as a universal arbiter for interoperability certification, significantly reducing research and development costs while simplifying the integration process with new partners.

Integrators benefit from this streamlined approach through easier setup and more efficient troubleshooting across devices from multiple hardware providers. Ultimately, Aliro provides system owners with simplified maintenance and the flexibility to mix and match vendor-independent hardware and software across a wide variety of user devices.

The path forward

CSA noted that the release of Aliro 1.0 is the foundation of a living standard, not a one-time effort. This coalition is already looking toward future phases to integrate upcoming market and ecosystem requirements, such as expanded use cases like secure key sharing, while maintaining backward compatibility to ensure that current implementations are not compromised as the technology matures.

By building this infrastructure to evolve alongside the market it serves, we are ensuring that Aliro remains the enduring, interoperable layer for universal digital credentials. As the specification enters the certification and commercialization phases, this collective effort stands ready to deliver the scalability required for long-term global success.

Learn more about Aliro and access the Aliro 1.0 specification documents.