Deploy an AWS IoT Greengrass custom component to Arm devices and verify PAC/BTI support
Introduction
Understand AWS IoT Greengrass and Armv9 PAC/BTI security features
Set up a Raspberry Pi 5 as an AWS IoT Greengrass core device
Set up a Jetson Thor as an AWS IoT Greengrass core device
Create an AWS IoT Greengrass custom component
Deploy the AWS IoT Greengrass custom component
Verify PAC/BTI support on your devices using MQTT
Next Steps

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About this Learning Path

Skill level:  Introductory
Reading time:  30 min
Last updated:  31 Jul 2026
Skill level:
  Introductory
Reading time:
  30 min
Last updated:
  31 Jul 2026
Authors:Varun Chari, Arm
Doug Anson, Arm
Arm IP:Cortex-A
Tags: Performance and Architecture AWS Linux AWS IoT Greengrass Python Java MQTT YAML
Authors:
  • Varun Chari, Arm
  • Doug Anson, Arm
Arm IP:
Cortex-A
Tags:
Performance and Architecture AWS Linux AWS IoT Greengrass Python Java MQTT YAML

Who is this for?

This Learning Path is for IoT and embedded developers who want to deploy and manage components on Arm devices using AWS IoT Greengrass, and verify PAC/BTI security feature support across different Arm platforms.

What will you learn?

Upon completion of this Learning Path, you will be able to:

  • Register Armv8 and Armv9 devices as AWS IoT Greengrass core devices
  • Build an AWS IoT Greengrass custom component that tests PAC/BTI support
  • Deploy the component to multiple Arm devices using a Greengrass Thing Group
  • Use MQTT to trigger PAC/BTI checks and interpret the results for each platform

Prerequisites

Before starting, you will need the following:

  • An Amazon Web Services (AWS) account with access to AWS IoT Greengrass and Amazon S3
  • A Raspberry Pi 5 running Raspberry Pi OS
  • An NVIDIA Jetson Thor device running JetPack 7.1 or later
  • Familiarity with AWS IoT Core and basic cloud concepts

Summary

AI-assisted

This summary was drafted with an approved AI-assisted workflow and reviewed by Arm contributors before publication. Human technical review remains part of the process so the final page reflects engineering rigor, accuracy, and Arm editorial standards.

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You’ll configure two Arm devices as AWS IoT Greengrass core devices, build a custom component that checks Pointer Authentication (PAC) and Branch Target Identification (BTI), and deploy that component to both targets via a Greengrass thing group. You’ll upload the component artifact to Amazon S3, create a Greengrass deployment in the AWS console, and use MQTT to trigger the checks. The Raspberry Pi 5 (Armv8.2-A) serves as a negative comparison for PAC/BTI, while the Jetson Thor (Armv9-A) provides a positive control. By completing the steps, you’ll compare per-device results and recognize unsupported versus supported PAC/BTI behavior across Armv8 and Armv9 platforms.

Frequently asked questions

AI-assisted

These FAQs were drafted with an approved AI-assisted workflow and reviewed by Arm contributors before publication. Human technical review remains part of the process so the final page reflects engineering rigor, accuracy, and Arm editorial standards.

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How do I know each device is ready to receive a Greengrass deployment?
In AWS IoT Core, confirm the device is registered as a Greengrass core device and appears in the thing group you plan to deploy to. If it isn’t in the group, add it before creating the deployment.
What result should I expect from the PAC/BTI test on Raspberry Pi 5 versus Jetson Thor?
Raspberry Pi 5 (Armv8.2-A) should report PAC and BTI as not supported. Jetson Thor (Armv9-A) should report both PAC and BTI as supported.
Where should I store the custom component artifact before creating the deployment?
Upload the component artifact to an Amazon S3 bucket created in the AWS console. Keep the default bucket settings for this tutorial and ensure the artifact is available for the component to use during deployment.
Which target should I select to deploy the component to both devices at once?
Select a Greengrass thing group (for example, My_PAC_BTI_Test_Devices) as the deployment target. This delivers the same component set to both core devices in the group.
How do I trigger and validate the PAC/BTI checks after deployment?
Use MQTT to trigger the checks as described in the steps, then review the results reported for each device. Expect outputs that let you interpret PAC/BTI support per platform.
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