With Mobileye, Intel and BMW coming together to create a platform for autonomous vehicles, ProtectivX has put its focus on creating the technology to notify if a vehicle, medical equipment or other IoT devices have been hacked.
The Israeli company, ProtectivX is developing a device which sits on a vehicles’ internal CAN-BUS and monitors all electronic control units (ECUs) looking for any unusual behavior. ECUs may include the infotainment system, vision safety devices, cruise control, electronic keys, remote engine starters and many others. The ProtectivX device continuously scans the CAN BUS, and shields from external threats.
ProtectivX is a device and cloud-based authentication technology for preventing unauthorized access to information systems or networks, and for protecting connected devices, whether smartphones, vehicles, medical equipment or servers, from cyberattacks. ProtectivX has demonstrated the effectiveness of its technology in identifying and neutralizing attacks and isolating mobile devices to protect them from hacking.
Following successful pilot tests, the ProtectivX team has been asked by other manufactures in IoT, medtech, and factory automation to create a test-bed and certificate program to help ensure their products are protected against hackers.
With interfaces to smartphones, vehicle-connected-to-everything (V2X) and powerful navigation, infotainment and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) technologies, vehicles are becoming exposed to external software like never before. As a result, the car is now an attractive target to a new generation of hackers, fraudsters, terrorists and other cyber criminals.
If hackers gain access to a vehicle, they can create havoc by taking over the control of the vehicle’s steering, braking, and even reroute point of destination in case a GPS system is being used. In fact, protecting IoT networks – whether in automotive or other applications – is important not only for intercepting attacks, but also for protecting the privacy of people. Network vulnerabilities could be used for purposes such as tracking driver/user behavior, stealing private information and collecting intelligence.
Over the next decade, as cars become connected and more autonomous, in-vehicle safety will expand from active and passive to yet another dimension; that of cyber security from threats against the vehicle’s data transmissions and physical control. These drivers are expected to fuel growth in the automotive cyber security market. According to Business Insider, over 380 million connected cars will be on the road by 2021.
Research and Markets estimate that by the end of 2020 the market of cyber security for cars in North America and Europe will exceed $6 billion and $5 billion, respectively. Considering the IoT in general, Markets and Markets predict that the cyber security market for IoT will grow from $6.9 billion in 2015 to over $28 billion by 2020.
“It may say ‘Intel Inside’, but if it has not been certified safe by ProtectivX, then its not protected from the outside,” said Ziv Hadad, ProtectivX’s CEO. “The ProtectivX system can save lives! Our system and certification program will allow us to better protect more devices in various industries and minimize the threat created by hackers. Technology has created a window of opportunities for hackers – we are using technology to close that window.”
ProtectivX is also expanding its research and development team to expedite the development of its platform technology. The company is hiring engineers and cyber security experts, focusing on elite IDF technology unit veterans. ProtectivX works with OEMs to help identify where the weak point of entry is located in their products and where the greatest security threat exists to users.
The ProtectivX system sits in the background, monitoring all activity from all connected devices. The patent-pending technology and proprietary algorithms maintain a database of all connected hardware and expected activity. The ProtectivX system looks for any unusual or suspicious activity and immediately provides alerts. At the same time, the potential hack is isolated and neutralized.
