Overview

Car connectivity can bring valuable features to OEMs and drivers alike including proactive and predictive performance and maintenance diagnostics, secure Over-The-Air software updates, and real-time status monitoring such as tire pressure, fuel level and so on. The downside is all this connectivity also increases the vehicle’s cyberattack risk. Today’s vehicles, like any connected system, are vulnerable to attack, and each connected feature is a possible attack vector.
To address this, at CES 2020 BlackBerry unveiled Unified Endpoint Security for Vehicles, a customizable solution that OEMs can use to monitor the health and security posture of their vehicles, with a view to ‘future-proofing’ them. With the solution, automakers can automate software patches, continuously authenticate drivers and proactively address cybersecurity threats. Among its features, the solution:
• Leverages threat detection technologies from BlackBerryPROTECT to predict, prevent, detect, and remediate advanced malicious threats and malware in the vehicle infotainment system
• Integrates the contextual analysis engine from BlackBerryOPTICS to provide the capability to proactively scan the vehicle for signs of trouble or software anomalies before they lead to maintenance issues, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, or accidents.
• Uses behavioral monitoring techniques from BlackBerryPERSONA to ensure the identity of the vehicle’s driver is known and trusted in relation to their driving profile.
• Incorporates the BlackBerry Jarvis cloud-based static binary code scanning solution to identify vulnerabilities in software used in automobiles.
• Includes the BlackBerry OTA Software Update Management Service to allow preventative software maintenance over the lifetime of a car, allowing automakers to deliver new capabilities to millions of end users simultaneously.
• Leverages BlackBerry UEM for the deployment of malware-free applications to managed vehicles.

With the average new car containing more than 100 million lines of code and some of the most complex software ever deployed by automakers, the need for a holistic view into the overall health and security posture of a vehicle’s entire code base throughout its full lifecycle is absolutely critical. With BlackBerry’s Unified Endpoint Security for Vehicles, the industry now has a transportation-focused framework that they can tap to enhance the security, trustworthiness, and safety of connected vehicles, providing peace of mind to drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike.