The Vehicle Industry Has To Deal With Increased Cyberattacks In 2023
3 min read
Unfortunately, we see cyberattacks becoming a huge problem and quite a common occurrence in several industries. But, some will be more affected than others in the near future, with the vehicle industry looking particularly affected.
Cyber attacks in the auto industry can easily impact automotive fleets, consumers, and automakers. We first saw a big problem in 2015. This was when 1.4 million cars had to be recalled because of security concerns. Then, in 2020, we saw a ransomware attack stopping activity for a manufacturer in North America.
Why Is The Vehicle Industry At Risk?
Modern cars are more connected than ever. They are the ones at particular risk. Something as simple as a rideshare app can be a security standard and it leads to more work for the Lyft accident lawyer simply because of what can happen. Vehicles with connectivity features can also include autonomous features. They are perfect entry points for hackers. This is something to worry about because it is expected that cars with autonomous drive features will reach sales of up to 1 million units until 2025.
The connected manufacturing processes are also at risk. Basically, whenever there is IT/OT convergence, problems can appear. For instance, around 25% of all energy companies had to deal with weekly DDoS attacks because they implemented the new Industry 4.0 technologies. We expect these to increase after car manufacturers implement the systems.
The big problem is the vehicle industry is currently unprepared when it comes to dealing with highly sophisticated cyberattacks. Automakers simply do not know how to deal with advanced IT systems. They do not fully understand the best practices they have to implement or the security risks they are facing. This only makes attackers more interested in targeting automakers.
Preventing Auto Cyberattacks
The entire industry has to adapt and make changes in order to prevent and mitigate the impact of future cyberattacks. Some options to consider include:
Securing The Manufacturing Process
All Industry 4.0 systems have to be secured by automakers. Also, a security coordinator has to be dedicated to ensuring transportation security. Site-specific risks then have to be addressed.
It is important to note that IoT devices have to run on systems that are separate than the sensitive endpoints. Basically, lateral movement has to be prevented and absolutely all default passwords have to be changed after encrypting all IoT communications.
Securing Car Connections
A big part of automotive security is remediating the vulnerabilities vehicles have. With all connected cars, the NHTSA recommends:
- The implementation of rapid response and detection systems.
- The creation of a system that identifies risks and the protection of all connected processes.
- The creation of an architecture that mitigates potential breaches.
Security controls should never depend on the users since this only increases the possibility that a breach can happen.
Securing The Fleets
Last but not least, corporate vehicle fleets need to be secured, especially when referring to telematics systems. Security starts with being really selective when it comes to services and devices. The businesses have to research all potential providers in order to guarantee high-security standards are maintained before a partnership is signed. Also, system access has to be restricted with the use of the least privilege principle.
Binary Blogger has spent 20 years in the Information Security space currently providing security solutions and evangelism to clients. From early web application programming, system administration, senior management to enterprise consulting I provide practical security analysis and solutions to help companies and individuals figure out HOW to be secure every day.
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