Setting the Standard for Connected Car Security

Today’s automobile is more like your iPhone than your grandfather’s Cadillac. As vehicles started to become an integrated part of the “personal ecosystem,” a large automotive manufacturer recognized the need to break down silos and address cyber threats related to the vehicle ecosystem. 

 As vehicles become increasingly connected, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) must adapt to emerging cybersecurity needs. Vehicle networks—like all IT systems—are susceptible to manipulation and disruption, and risks range from vehicle safety to exploitation of personal information. Securing the components of the vehicle is especially challenging because automotive suppliers, vendors, internal teams, partners, and even consumers share responsibility for various elements of cybersecurity. 

A cross-functional team of Booz Allen automotive and cybersecurity experts conducted two assessments:

1. An organizational assessment that identified risks and opportunities for vehicle cybersecurity
2. A technical assessment of the cyber risks and challenges associated with the manufacturer’s connected vehicle

Booz Allen built its assessment by first giving the clients a comprehensive view of the challenge. We mapped the connected vehicle ecosystem to understand where potential vulnerabilities exist and to simplify the complexity of internal and external stakeholders and suppliers. From this common viewpoint, our team identified current and emerging risks and opportunities—across technical, organizational, and strategic levels.

Booz Allen's assessments led the client to name a new product cybersecurity leader and create a product cybersecurity organization, which the Booz Allen team continues to support. Our continued efforts focus on defining the organizational model, prioritizing and addressing critical product risks, and shaping the new team’s strategic approach to fundamentally change how the company and the industry address product cybersecurity.

Booz Allen has a record of providing cybersecurity, strategy, and innovation expertise to the traditional and newly redefined automotive industries. Our strategists, data analysts, and information technology experts deliver industry-leading capabilities coupled with a clear understanding of the client’s business opportunities.