The Japanese Automobile Industry Is Taking Next Steps for Cybersecurity Collaboration

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

https://www.lawfareblog.com/japanese-automobile-industry-taking-next-steps-cybersecurity-collaboration

By Mihoko Matsubara
lawfareblog.com
July 7, 2020

The discussion around cybersecurity risk tends to overlook one key sector—the 
automobile sector. It’s an industry with some very specific cybersecurity 
challenges, and recent efforts from Japan reveal a successful way to combat 
these vulnerabilities.

In Japan, the effort to improve cybersecurity within the automotive sector 
began in earnest after a cascade of cyberattacks on the sector. First, a series 
of WannaCry cyberattacks disrupted Nissan’s factory operations in the U.K. in 
2017. Cyberattacks on the Japanese automobile sector continued afterward, too. 
Toyota’s sales subsidiaries fell victim to cyber espionage in 2019, and the 
personal information of 3.1 million customers may have been leaked as a result. 
Honda was hit by another cyberattack in June 2020, which resulted in the 
temporary suspension of the company’s operations in Italy, Japan, North 
America, Turkey and the U.K. These incidents have been a wakeup call for the 
industry to realize that cybersecurity is crucial for the sustainable business 
operations of automakers and their suppliers.

Some observers may think that cybersecurity risks are less serious in the 
automotive industry than in other sectors. But potential nightmare scenarios of 
cybersecurity failures in the auto industry include the suspension of 
day-to-day operations and the theft of intellectual property and customers’ 
personal information. Cyberattacks on the auto sector not only can have 
negative consequences for the products and services for customers but also can 
threaten the safety of customers and make them uncomfortable about their 
security.

Cybersecurity for automobiles is extremely complicated. It depends on three 
different layers: the automobile itself, the automaker and its suppliers (this 
includes electric devices and software), and the service providers (such as car 
dealers and car-sharing services).

[...]

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