BT offers ethical hacking service to connected vehicle suppliers
Vehicles are becoming more connected through electronic systems like navigation, infotainment and safety monitoring tools. The proliferation of these technologies, said BT, raises concerns about the ability of hackers to gain access and control to essential functions and features of vehicles. Others could use information on drivers' habits for commercial purposes without drivers' knowledge or consent.
BT is offering its ethical hacking service to vehicle manufacturers, insurance companies and other players in the automotive industry, with the aim of identifying and fixing vulnerabilities "before the keys of a new vehicle are handed to a proud owner", it said. To ensure the car remains safe throughout its lifetime, BT will also offer ongoing support to maintain security against new and evolving threats.
BT Assure Ethical Hacking for Vehicles includes a range of tests targeted at the "attack surfaces" of the vehicle. These cover interfaces that are accessible inside the car, such as Bluetooth links, USB ports or the DVD drive, as well as external connections such as links to mobile networks or power plugs.
BT looks at the end-to-end security by testing and verifying all the remote systems that interact with the connected vehicle. These systems could include the laptops of maintenance engineers, infotainment providers and other supporting systems.
Hubertus von Roenne, vice president of global industry practices at BT Global Services, said: "Vehicles are now connected devices, confronting manufacturers and suppliers with a whole new world of security challenges. For example, we have seen cars infected with malware while connected to a power charging station -- because nobody had expected this would be possible.
"We use the expertise and knowledge of our ethical hacking consultants to identify these vulnerabilities, before others do."