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Cybersecurity ramps up as electronic infrastructure surges

Nov. 30, 2019
With the rapid influx of electronics into all aspects of daily life, and the constant movement of massive amounts of data, cybersecurity becomes ever more important. In test and measurement, cybersecurity breaches via an infected instrument are events of concern, possible with instruments that contain software

accessible or modifiable via a remote or internet connection, according to Ron Yazma, vice president of software engineering at Marvin Test Solutions. “For ATE systems employed in military/aerospace applications, the need for cybersecurity is acute since not only can the test system be subjected to a cyberattack but a mission-critical UUT being tested on the ATE could become infected,” Yazma said in EE’s Cybersecurity Special Report in May.1 Here are some news briefs about recent developments in cybersecurity:

U.S. addresses threats to aviation

Following cyberattacks on critical infrastructure such as power grids, the Department of Homeland Security is spearheading a program, along with the Pentagon and Transportation Department, to test airliners’ vulnerability to hacking, according to a report in Forbes. Although few details are available, the DHS has confirmed that electronic system testing will be performed on new and older airliners. Up to now, cyberattacks on airlines have focused on IT and passenger data, but the latest move by government agencies could indicate the detection of an attack threat.

In a separate development, the U.S. Air Force is taking a role in detecting security issues within commercial aviation systems, some of which are employed by the military. In a statement to the Wall Street Journal, Will Roper, Air Force assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said, “If we don’t probe first, our adversaries will. We’ve been a little complacent in not trying to attack all of the parts of the airplane.”2

Automobiles morphing into electronic battlefields

According to a report by McKinsey & Company, the connected road vehicle, loaded with electronics, is a fertile field of opportunity for hackers. The report states that the cars of today contain as many as 150 electronic control units but are expected to have about 300 million lines of software code by 2030. Currently, passenger planes have approximately 15 million lines of code, and a PC packs about 40 million. Looming cyberthreats named by the report include personal data theft, vulnerable sensors, controls of the vehicle, monitoring of voices through voice-recognition electronics, and manipulation of vehicle data.

The report points out that state-of-the art tools for hacking are inexpensive and that guarding against attacks is a more costly endeavor. Auto hacks from friendly sources have proven to be successful, and the multiplicity of OEMs and parts providers add to the difficulty of standardizing defenses against threats. Industry trends are rapidly advancing toward standard regulations on cybersecurity and software updates, as evidenced by looming mandates from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.3

NSA launches new Cybersecurity Directorate

, enhancing its partnerships with unclassified collaboration and information sharing. This organization unifies NSA’s foreign intelligence and cyberdefense missions, in an effort to prevent and eradicate threats to national security and critical infrastructure. Its initial focus will be on the defense industrial bas and improvement of weapons security.

The Cybersecurity Directorate will reinvigorate NSA’s white hat mission by sharing critical threat information and collaborating with partners and customers to better equip them to defend against malicious cyber activity. The new directorate “will also better position NSA to operationalize its threat intelligence, vulnerability assessments, and cyberdefense expertise by integrating these efforts to deliver prioritized outcomes.” In addition, the agency will invest in and rely on its expert workforce to rapidly adapt to this new mission and constantly evolving mission space.”4 

References

1. Evaluation Engineering, “Cybersecurity: Shielding against the dark side,” May 2019

https://www.evaluationengineering.com/applications/cybersecurity/article/21074936/special-report-cybersecurity

2. Forbes, “U.S. Government Confirms New Aircraft Cybersecurity Move Amid Terrorism Fears,” October 2019 [according to the text it looks like this reverence should be the Wall Street Journal—RN]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2019/10/01/us-government-confirms-new-aircraft-cybersecurity-move-amid-terrorism-fears/#eec65b469e19

3. McKinsey & Company, The race for cybersecurity: Protecting the connected car in the era of new regulation,” October 2019

https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/automotive-and-assembly/our-insights/the-race-for-cybersecurity-protecting-the-connected-car-in-the-era-of-new-regulation

4. National Security Agency/Central Security Service, Strengthening the Front Line: NSA Launches New Cybersecurity Directorate”, Oct 1, 2019

https://www.nsa.gov/News-Features/News-Stories/Article-View/Article/1973871/strengthening-the-front-line-nsa-launches-new-cybersecurity-directorate/

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