Over-the-air tech in vehicles poses cybersecurity risks

Analysts say the automotive industry’s increasing use of wireless technology to update vehicle systems is making it more susceptible to cyber attacks and are calling for greater intervention in the industry.

OTA technology is wireless technology that can deliver new software, firmware, fixes, and data to internet-connected devices.

Tesla’s It began rolling out over-the-air updates to its Model S vehicles in 2012. This has helped normalize the technology, according to Jason Van der Schyff, a cyber, technology and security expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, who notes that technology is now integrated into much of the automotive industry.

“The technology is increasingly welcomed as it is a fast and cost-effective way to manage systems in vehicles versus traditional methods that may require recalls or updates in routine maintenance,” Siraj Ahmed Shaikh, professor of systems safety at Swansea University in the United Kingdom, told CNBC. he said.

The growing penetration of OTA technology in the automotive industry has raised concerns about transportation infrastructure in particular.

This use represents a “unique national security concern,” Gabriel Lim, a senior analyst at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, told CNBC.

“Aside from data privacy concerns, the potential for a foreign actor to sabotage the controls of a moving vehicle is a possibility that countries such as Norway, Denmark and Britain have expressed concerns about,” Lim added.

In May, the American Enterprise Institute warned that protecting the auto industry was crucial to limiting the spying abilities of foreign governments.

“To protect against foreign espionage threats, the United States should consider additional security reviews, impose restrictions on some foreign-made hardware and software in vehicles, and mandate increased data collection disclosures,” the report said. in question.

“There is access to the control system for the battery and power supply via the mobile network via the Romanian SIM card. Therefore, in theory, this bus can be stopped or rendered inoperable by the manufacturer,” the company said. in question.

Ruter’s investigation later led to the incident. England. And Denmark The UK Department for Transport said it was investigating the matter and carried out its own investigations. work closely with the country’s National Cyber ​​Security Center.

While these studies were carried out on buses produced by the Chinese company Yutong, Professor Shaikh said that as the technology became more widespread, the problem went beyond a single manufacturer or country.

“Other sectors adopting OTA include other modes of transportation [such as] maritime and railway, aviation (especially unmanned aerial vehicles), industrial machinery and robotics,” he said.

RSIS’s Lim emphasized the importance of taking responsibility for the implementation of technology as it becomes more widespread. “It is very important for us to be aware of this technology and to hold institutions and governments accountable for how OTA systems are implemented, especially how they operate silently in the background of the technologies we use in our daily lives.”