Cyber security solutions for all connected vehicle electronics

Werner Koestler, Head of Strategy, Interior division, Continental, stated: “Just as brakes are imperative for safe driving, connected vehicles require cyber security as a basic feature. Therefore, we have decided to offer end-to-end cyber security solutions from Argus and Elektrobit in all of our connected vehicle electronics and as a standalone solution for third party products.” 

Continental, EB and Argus’ cyber security philosophy is focused on enabling OEMs to secure vehicles by preventing, understanding and responding to cyber threats. 

To prevent possible attacks, EB provides consultation, along with security components for the application layer, hardware-specific security products, AUTOSAR (AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture) basic software and security solutions for bootloaders launching various operating systems. Those components, on the road today in millions of vehicles, are designed for applications including secure communication, authenticated identification, secure updates and diagnostics.

Argus provides multi-layered solutions that offer additional prevention from cyber attacks against the vehicle, as well as the ability to detect and respond to attacks in real time with Argus Connectivity Protection installed on telematic and infotainment units and the Argus Intrusion Detection and Prevention System deployed in the in-vehicle network. 

Argus Lifespan Protection, an automotive security operations centre, offers an additional layer of prevention, understanding and response by providing OEMs visibility into the cyber health of their fleets, analysis of cross-fleet information to generate insights into the nature of attacks, identification of emerging threats, and a rapid response to incidents by immunising the fleet. To react as quickly as possible, and install software patches to resolve vulnerabilities in fleets around the world, vehicle manufacturers should be able to rely on EB’s wireless software update service EB cadian Sync.

Koestler added: “Our multi-layered approach is an end-to-end offering for automotive cyber security, from the development of new products and ongoing monitoring, to the ability to resolve vulnerabilities via wireless updates to immunise fleets from future attacks.”

Continental is making the multi-layered solutions part of its portfolio, ensuring its components are as robustly secured against attacks as possible. In addition, Continental is also developing control units, which serve as important elements in the security chain themselves. Continental’s Gateway, for example, acts as a router within the vehicle computing network in classical distributed in-vehicle computing architectures or today’s domain architectures. 

Koestler continued: “For components that build an entry point for remote attacks, such as telematics units or infotainment systems, the requirements have been drastically increasing over the last couple of years. As an international automotive supplier, we see it as our duty to provide the best protection possible for our customers.” 

The Gateway integrates security features from Argus and enables basic vehicle diagnostics and wireless software update capabilities via EB to monitor the vehicle’s cyber health and allow for immediate updates if needed. For future server-based architectures, Continental is offering the In-Vehicle Server, a high performance computing unit that acts as a network manager and communication interface. It also provides a central architectural element leveraging the full spectrum of wireless software updates for remote maintenance and cyber security for the entire vehicle.