Does Your Organization Operate a Vehicle Fleet? Here Are the Five Main Risks the CISO Needs to Pay Attention To

30/09/2024
Neta Lempert, CEO of Enigmatos

Everyone wants a new and sophisticated vehicle, but every new technological connection in a fleet is a potential breach for hackers, and in the world of automotive, a cyber attack can be fatal. We have gathered for you the main risks and ways to defend against them.

Imagine a world where your car “communicates” with dozens of other vehicles, exchanging information about road conditions and coordinating the safest and most efficient route. Sounds like a dream? This is the reality of connected vehicle fleets. However, under the appealing guise of cutting-edge technology, complex and malicious cyber threats are hidden. Vehicle fleets are especially vulnerable to attacks, largely because of the extensive number of vehicles and the precious of information they store.

What are the main digital risks of vehicle fleets, what could the consequences of cyber attacks look like, and what innovative strategies exist to protect against these threats? Let’s embark on this journey.

The Risks.

There are five most significant threats that undermine digital automotive peace:

1. Remote Takeover of Vehicle Systems

Imagine you are driving peacefully on the highway, and suddenly, without any warning, the steering wheel refuses to obey your commands, the brakes are paralyzed, and the engine roars wildly. No, this is not a scenario for a horror movie, but a possible scenario of remote takeover of your vehicle. In the past, an attacker needed physical access to a vehicle to commit malicious acts, but now – with computing and communication systems that have turned the car into a “computer on wheels” – it is possible to penetrate it remotely and exploit wireless connectivity (cellular, WiFi, etc.) to operate critical components such as the steering wheel, brakes, and engine. A famous example is the takeover by researchers of a Jeep Cherokee during a drive in 2015, which led to a massive recall of 1.4 million vehicles.

2. Theft of Sensitive Information – Privacy Breach Behind the Wheel

Modern vehicles generate huge amounts of data: locations, routes, driving habits, and sometimes even personal information about drivers and passengers. For hackers, these data repositories are a gold mine of sensitive details that can be exploited to make harm.
The leakage of this information can violate privacy and be used for nefarious purposes by criminal elements, for example, to plan the robbery of trucks based on stolen location data.

3. Penetration Through Third-Party Devices

Today, vehicles in fleets are equipped with a variety of systems and external devices connected to the vehicle’s digital “brain.” Whether it’s remote monitoring systems, telematics devices, or even automatic payment systems for refueling, these devices constitute potential “back doors” for hackers looking for an entry point into the system. The danger here is twofold: first, the mere addition of external devices creates more potential security vulnerabilities. Second, often these devices are not secured to the same level as the original vehicle systems, making them the weak link in the defense chain.

4. Falsification of Telemetry Data

Feeding false information to telemetry systems, responsible for transmitting real-time vehicle status data to the control center, could “blind” fleet managers and mislead them about the location and functioning of the vehicles. For example, falsifying fuel consumption data can mask fuel thefts, and distorted information about part wear can lead to improper maintenance and serious malfunctions.

5. Damage to Fleet Management Systems

The central fleet management system of a fleet is part of the “brain” of operations, and therefore it is also a preferred target for cyber attackers: taking over such a system opens a gateway to absolute control over the fleet. A successful penetration into the management system could give hackers control over every aspect of fleet activity: from routing and scheduling deliveries to tracking drivers and accessing sensitive business information. Such an attack can disable the entire logistics array and cause disruptions and delays.

The Solutions

Until now, we’ve talked about the bad parts, but there are also good ones – advanced solutions exist in the market. So how do we protect ourselves? To cope with the sophisticated threats to vehicle fleets, a multi-layered and flexible security strategy is required, combining advanced technologies, meticulous processes, and skilled human resources.

1. Security by Design – Protection that Begins at the Design Stage:

The best way to fight cyber threats is to prevent them from the outset. This is precisely the essence of the “Security by Design” principle. Instead of adding protective mechanisms as afterthoughts, the idea is to embed security right at the core of the systems, from the very first stage of design.
Practically, this means that at all stages of vehicle design, cybersecurity is an important consideration. This also requires scrutinizing every component and external supplier that enters the vehicle’s ecological system. This approach has recently become a mandatory standard in Europe and Israel.

2. Management of Security Updates:

A well-known secret is that no system is perfect. There will always be holes, bugs, and vulnerabilities that require fixing. The challenge is to close these gaps before hackers exploit them. This is where security updates come into play. By regularly releasing patches and fixes, vehicle manufacturers can sew up the holes in real time and stay one step ahead of the attackers. But in the context of vehicle fleets, this is a particularly challenging task.
Imagine having to update hundreds or thousands of vehicles at once. How do you do that without disabling the entire fleet? The answer lies in remote updates Over The Air (OTA). This technology allows patches and upgrades to be transmitted to vehicles automatically and safely, without the need for a workshop. But even here, caution is required. A flawed update can itself create new vulnerabilities or disrupt vehicle operations. Careful management of the update process, with thorough testing and close monitoring, is essential to ensure that the cure is not worse than the disease.

3. Smart and Real-Time Monitoring – Because You Can’t Fight What You Can’t See:

Another critical tool in the cybersecurity toolkit is the ability to detect threats the moment they arise. This is where smart monitoring systems come into play.
By using advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), it is possible to monitor all activity in the vehicle’s computer network in real time. Sophisticated algorithms scan for unusual patterns, anomalies, and suspicious signs, and alert the moment something seems amiss.
Imagine a system that can detect an attempted breach the moment it occurs, based solely on the abnormal behavior of one of the computers in the vehicle. Or one that can identify a DoS (Denial of Service) attack by analyzing network loads in real time. The ability to see the emerging threat and respond quickly, before the damage spreads, is critical.

Moreover, monitoring systems can provide deep insights into the overall health of vehicle fleets. They can identify potential malfunctions and even dangerous driver behavior in advance. This information, when available in real time, helps decision-makers respond quickly and prevent problems before they extend.

Social Responsibility of Every Organization

Faced with the current range of threats in the automotive world, organizations operating vehicle fleets must adopt a comprehensive protection strategy that combines advanced technologies, structured work processes, and quality human resources. Effective cyber security is not just another technical requirement – it is a strategic and social responsibility, and the consequences of a cyber attack in this field can be crucial. Organizations that internalize this and prioritize the field of cyber protection will be able to enjoy the fruits of progress and reduce associated risks. This is the key to ensuring a secure and protected future for transportation worldwide.

The link to original article:” https://dev.ittime.co.il/5-major-security-risks-in-company-car/