{"id":45396,"date":"2015-10-06T17:13:40","date_gmt":"2015-10-07T00:13:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.mcafee.com\/?p=45396"},"modified":"2025-08-31T22:38:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T05:38:27","slug":"securing-the-cars-of-the-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/securing-the-cars-of-the-future\/","title":{"rendered":"From the Ground Up: How the Cars of the Future Will Be Secured"},"content":{"rendered":"

Autonomous systems are doing wonders for us, whether it be in factory manufacturing or recommending where you go to get your next Pumpkin Spice latte. They\u2019re freeing up time, producing more goods and sending us to those quaint little caf\u00e9s that we may have never discovered otherwise. But our autonomy-based economy has a long way to go still\u2014especially in the world of transportation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In a few short years, we\u2019ll start to see driverless cars become much more common. But the technologies fueling these cars of the future will need constant updates. Like today\u2019s oil changes, car security software updates will be commonplace, and necessary for safety reasons. In fact, we\u2019re already seeing this.<\/p>\n

So, why will there be a growth in security patches for cars? Simply put: the number of ways cybercriminals can exploit a vehicle is exploding<\/a>. Since future cars will talk to one another, scan the road ahead, and send and receive information from the Internet, cybercriminals will have a bevy of opportunities to exploit vehicles. In fact, some cars today, with wireless key entry can be easily broken into with materials costing less than $100<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Advanced networking could exacerbate this. Advanced driver assistant systems (ADAS), advanced fleet management, smart transportation and autonomous driving\u2014where driverless vehicles talk to one another for efficiency and safety\u2014could all face serious security vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n

Luckily, we\u2019re preparing well to combat these security weaknesses, by designing security into our automotive products from the beginning. In particular, this will include three layers of security: hardware modules, hardware services and software security services. Hardware security can provide cars the necessary cryptographic performance, allowing them to securely talk to one another without risk of malicious instructions being injected into communications. Software security can also provide active scanning for malicious activity.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we at McAfee are forming the Automotive Security Review Board (ASRB), a board encompassing the top security industry talent in cyber-physical systems, to better secure the vehicles of tomorrow. With the ASRB, we\u2019ll be working hand in hand with the auto industry to secure autonomous vehicles and our future transportation fleet.<\/p>\n

Tips to Protect Your Smart Car<\/h2>\n

So, let\u2019s say you have a newfangled smart car\u2014one complete with Internet connections, driver-assist technologies and more. What can you do to make sure your car is safe? Well, there are a few things to bear in mind:<\/p>\n