Cybersecurity specialist Symantec has released software to sniff out hack attacks on cars.
Symantec says its Anomaly Detection for Automotive software will even protect against never-seen-before attacks.
Research firm Gartner says that there will be 220m connected cars on the road by 2020, offering features like internet hotspots, remote roadside assist and hyper-detailed satnav.
The convenience of these connected features have the undesired side-effect of opening avenues of attack for hacks that, says Symantec, can endanger the lives of drivers and passengers.
“As connected automobiles become the norm, security issues have already drawn attention,” says Christian Christiansen, Symantec security expert.
“Driven by opportunity, manufacturers and their suppliers will partner with cybersecurity vendors on securing connected cars as they would with any other networked endpoint such as a mobile devices and laptops.
“Keeping security top of mind will not only help ensure the safety of drivers and passengers but also build trust in the car manufacturers and the overall ‘Internet of Things’ ecosystem.”
The software – which Symantec says uses “minimal” memory and CPU resources – learns vehicle behaviour very deeply, making it easier to spot previously-unseen attacks.
It also automatically prioritises incidents based on risk and detects anomalies without requiring manufacturers to create system policies – the rules that tell a computer system how to behave.
Anomaly Detection for Automotive runs with most makes and models of vehicle, and works by analysing all CAN (Controller Area Network) traffic.
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