Automotive cybersecurity: 360-degree framework for comprehensive cybersecurity

What & Why: Integrating security into a product can be expensive – especially during later development stages. That is why development must follow a “security-by-design” approach. This concept involves a risk-based analysis, clear requirements and architecture focused on security.

Major challenges: Identifying risks and aligning security objectives with business strategy can be a source of internal conflicts. Moreover, multiple stakeholders are involved in security activities, from system architects to developers, together with many suppliers.

Our conviction: Delivering a secure product relies heavily on teams that can take the necessary actions in a security-by-design approach. This requires a strong security mindset within the teams. Security must become one of the core driven-principles for the product design, at the same level as the business strategy or market demands.

What & Why: Besides classic OT security threats, the switch from R&D to production is critical for product security. It is the final stage of the development to address risks and to lock down the product before it is released to clients. It is also the moment when individual cryptographic secrets are integrated into each vehicle; hence production is an important element in the security chain.

Major challenges: In mass production, the pressure for delivery is extreme. With multiple parts coming from different providers, it is complex to integrate individual keys or certificates for each product and to ensure closing open interfaces. Moreover, the industrial environment is a tricky one to keep secrets; older technologies, many employees involved, etc.

Our conviction: The production phase will face a major change in the next year with the increase of the software part inside the vehicles and the associated cryptographic secrets to be deployed to guarantee security. The production capabilities must be considered during the security-by-design phase. Also, the security topic shall not be underestimated when considering the upgrade cycle of factories and production equipment (Industry 4.0).

What & Why: Vehicles are increasingly defined by software – amplified by connected and “partly-automated” driving functions. In this context, Security can only be maintained of software and security measures can be upgraded. Additionally, and despite all measures, incidents will happen. OEMs must prepare to react accordingly – while cars are running on the streets.

Major challenges: The quick addition of software features in released products will increase the vulnerabilities; dealing with them while cars are in the field – sometimes offline – is a real challenge. This trend will be amplified by over-the-air updates – a Software Update Management Systems (SUMS) will have to be set up. In order to manage this post-production phase, it requires operational security teams with associated processes and incident/crisis management capabilities. This is expensive and demands a lot of resources and competencies.

Our conviction: Automotive world has been for long focused on development phases, to implement safety, and now security. However, the operational part, post-production, remains a dead-angle of the security concept. OEMs shall take the complete end-to-end security chain, from development to decommission, to ensure security and safety into consideration. These operational costs for continuous update and monitoring may even result in a service-oriented business model.