Both the aerospace and automotive sectors are focusing heavily on digital innovation, so it is paramount that companies in this space increasingly focus on upping their digital and physical security measures. For companies in these sectors, cybersecurity should be top of their mind. Although these industries are not traditionally thought of as being at risk for data privacy breaches, they are fast becoming lucrative targets for malicious (black hat) hackers who disrupt day-to-day business, steal data or property and demand ransom.
Cybersecurity incidents in the smart mobility space are drastically increasing
In an increasingly connected world, 330 million vehicles are already connected via the internet in order to provide more seamless and robust services to drivers. Top American car brands intend to only sell connected vehicles in the coming years. According to the 2020 Automotive Cybersecurity Report by Upstream, automotive cybersecurity breaches annually have soared 605% since 2016, with the number of incidents doubling in 2018 alone. The top three systems most susceptible to security breaches over the last 10 years have been keyless entry systems (37%), backend servers (27%), and mobile apps (13%). While these breaches spell the loss of revenue and supply chain disruptions for manufacturers, there are also severe implications for consumers who have their property and personal information stolen.
Similarly, in the aviation industry cyber-attacks have also been on the rise. As per EUROCONTROL cyber-attacks in the sector rose 530% between 2019 and 2020 alone. Although not all successful, each attack has important implications for the whole industry due to the potential for far-reaching impact not only on manufacturers and operators but passengers and personnel as well.
New cybersecurity quality standards for Europe
The need for data protection as well as imposing regulations in the smart mobility space has become clear over the last few years. As Forbes boldly declared in 2011, in an Internet of Things (IoT) driven world, every company is now (at least partly) a software company.
For the automotive sector, security research has revealed several technical vulnerabilities that make connected cars susceptible to cyberattacks. The existing standards and guidelines for securing hardware and software in vehicles are quite narrow and cover only specific technical processes, e.g. hardware encryption or secure data transfer and communication between electronic control units. This is set to change with The World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations (WP.29), under the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) working on new regulations on cybersecurity for connected vehicles and over-the-air software updates. The regulations will ensure that cybersecurity becomes an intrinsic and non-negotiable part for any car brand looking to secure market access.
In the aeronautical space, the concerns are similar. In the US, the departments of Defence, Transportation and Homeland Security have all launched cybersecurity initiatives impacting aviation. In the EU the European Union Aviation Safety Agency has also been working on developing a cybersecurity plan to combat threats to both operators and the air traffic management system alike. Even key industry groups such as the Aerospace Industries Association and National Business Aviation Association recognize cybersecurity as a major issue facing the industry.
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