Auto Industry Groups Join Forces To Secure Vehicle Communications

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

A pair of auto manufacturer groups are coming together to form a consortium meant to prevent crackers — the correct term for those whose goal is to give computer security a good thrashing — from busting up a given vehicle’s communication system, one that has the blessing of the federal government.

Automotive News reports the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers want to help automakers establish firewalls for V2V — vehicle-to-vehicle — and vehicle-to-cloud communications, with the intent for them to share information of a given vulnerability for quick neutralization.

The CEOs of both industry groups sent a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this summer, proclaiming their joint support of the “mechanism for sharing vehicle cyber-security information, threats, warnings and incidents among industry stakeholders.”

Meanwhile, former agency head David Strickland, doing consulting work for one of the participants of the new consortium, says the group will be called the Information Sharing Advisory Center — a.k.a. Auto-ISAC — when it comes online a year or so from now.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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 11 comments
  • Redav Redav on Oct 24, 2014

    Where did you find that photo--so many things wrong with it.

    • See 3 previous
    • Cameron Aubernon Cameron Aubernon on Oct 24, 2014

      @Drzhivago138 It's also where I learned the correct term for those who love to take down servers, databases et all, as well as Raspberry Pi's effort to reclaim "hacking" under its original meaning.

  • Lie2me Lie2me on Oct 24, 2014

    God forbid that someone would "crack" my onboard data and discover when my next oil change should occur

    • See 1 previous
    • Bumpy ii Bumpy ii on Oct 24, 2014

      @Sky_Render ISIS will hack your infotainment and make it play Rick Astley nonstop, and disable the screen controls so you can't turn it off.

  • Hudson Hudson on Oct 24, 2014

    no one worried about causing cars to break suddenly on a highway? or or?

    • Drewlssix Drewlssix on Oct 24, 2014

      Break or brake? Either way no, not really. Atleast not as a means to some greater crime. I could see some anonotwit creating gridlock for giggles.

  • RHD RHD on Oct 24, 2014

    ISIS will find, by trial and error, that their most effective method to induce terror and irritation will be to hack the single-person full-size pickup trucks speeding across Texas, and force them to drive at exactly the posted speed limit.

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