High-profile attacks and regulations
As even those with little knowledge of cybersecurity know, manufacturing is one of the most attractive and lucrative targets for cybercriminals.And the reporters who report it) include a lack of tolerance for production shutdowns across the sector, which has led to a greater willingness to meet ransom demands compared to other sectors of the economy.
So the auto manufacturing industry is already on heightened cybersecurity alert to begin with, and the industry-specific concerns of the past 18 months have not allayed those concerns.
last year, Nissan The company suffered a consumer data breach through a third-party vendor, with Ferrari facing a ransom demand after customer contact details were stolen. In January this year, cyber attackers claimed to have stolen three terabytes worth of data from Hyundai Motor Europe, and in February German battery maker Varta, which supplies the automotive, consumer and industrial sectors, suffered a cyber attack that disrupted production at five factories.
Although not directly related to manufacturing, Bleeping ComputerCDK Global, a software-as-a-service provider for car dealerships, is currently in the midst of a major cyberattack. CDK’s software touches a variety of functions, including financing, inventory, support and service, and good old-fashioned office management. CDK Global responded to the cyberattack by taking down its systems, taking over 15,000 car dealerships out of business.
Brian Denken, commercial manager of North American network and cybersecurity services at Rockwell Automation, said all these attacks reflect the automotive industry’s growing focus on cybersecurity.
“These incidents, coupled with new regulations such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act and NHTSA’s revised [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration] “The guidelines, and evolving standards such as Europe’s NIS2 and the SEC’s new cybersecurity disclosure requirements, have captured the attention of boards of directors and investors, propelling cybersecurity to the forefront of industry concerns,” says Denken.