ETAS and Deutsche Telekom to cooperate on cybersecurity monitoring for vehicle fleets

Bochum, November 29, 2022 – ETAS GmbH and its automotive security brand ESCRYPT have signed a contract with Deutsche Telekom Security GmbH to cooperate on providing vehicle fleets with protection against cyberattacks. The two partners are to deliver an integrated, holistic solution comprising onboard detection of cyberattacks and fleet-wide cybersecurity monitoring via a vehicle security operations center (VSOC). This will enable vehicle manufacturers to continuously monitor and manage their fleet-related cybersecurity risks in accordance with UN Regulation No. 155 (UN R155).

In line with UN R155 and a growing number of national regulations, vehicles must be adequately safeguarded against cyberattacks before gaining type approval. In particular, vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) will be required to ensure vehicle fleets are continuously protected against cyberattacks throughout operational life. A vehicle security operations center (VSOC) offers a proven means of providing such protection. Whenever a vehicle’s onboard sensors detect potential cybersecurity incidents, the VSOC aggregates this information with OEM backend and fleet-management data and then analyzes it. In the event of cyberattacks on individual vehicles, this means that effective countermeasures can be initiated and rolled out across the entire fleet.

“OEMs will need to continuously enhance the cybersecurity of their vehicles and prevent a fleet-wide upscaling of cyberattacks,” says Dr. Christopher Pohl, Head of Solution Field Cybersecurity (ESCRYPT) at ETAS. “Our partnership with Telekom will deliver all of this for our customers.”

For OEMs and fleet operators, it makes perfect sense to outsource cybersecurity monitoring to service providers with an existing technological platform and the right team of specialists. External VSOC providers are comparatively inexpensive, employ best practices, and offer cross-OEM sharing of threat intelligence data.

As a result of this partnership, ETAS and Deutsche Telekom Security will now jointly provide dedicated VSOC services to the automotive sector. With its ESCRYPT brand, ETAS has been a leading provider of automotive security solutions for over 15 years now. Deutsche Telekom Security operates an integrated Cyber Defense & Security Operation Center with more than 250 cybersecurity specialists worldwide, providing 24/7 support to over 70 customers from a range of industries.

“This strategic partnership enables us to provide full protection for connected vehicles,” says Rene Sterzenbach, Head of Solution Sales for automotive security at Deutsche Telekom Security. “For automakers and fleet operators, this will mean they can practice continuous and effective management of fleet-related cybersecurity risks without incurring any investment risk.”