How to Prevent Fleet Cybersecurity Attacks/Tips for protecting your fleet from cyber attacks

How to Prevent Fleet Cybersecurity Attacks

It may seem futuristic, but vehicles connected to the internet have already become the norm on today’s roads. This includes fleet vehicles that leverage telematics and GPS tracking data to help improve productivity, reduce costs and improve navigation.??

However, connected vehicles can leave fleets vulnerable to unexpected cybersecurity threats. To prevent your fleet from being exploited, and your organization from falling victim to a cyberattack, you need to proactively evaluate security risks and create a thoughtful plan for protecting your networks and your vehicles. Here are a few things to consider when it comes to the cyber safety of your connected fleet.

Cybersecurity threats come from many directions

Cybercriminals and bad actors can attack in many ways, from vehicle operations, vehicle systems that share data or your organization’s back-office networks in general. A common type of cyberattack is a phishing attack that delivers ransomware to your system.?

Phishing attacks typically arrive via email, where one unintentional click or download can open a door for hackers. This can lead to system outages that interrupt operations and cause costly downtime. It can also result in compromised or stolen data—which is especially problematic for connected fleets that share a common protocol across all vehicles.

In addition to stealing data or holding it hostage, hackers can also target vehicle operations themselves. The goal is to gain control of one truck or car, or an entire fleet, for reasons ranging from stealing the contents to harming drivers or others on the road.1 For these reasons, a proactive approach to fleet cybersecurity is critical.

Tips for protecting your fleet from cyber attacks

To prevent a cybercriminal from mining for load locations or financial information, as a fleet manager you’ll want to take these initial steps:

• Ensure telematics and other software purchased is from vendors that incorporate security into their products from inception through every single update.
• Replace outdated operating systems if they are no longer supported by security patches and updates, and make sure all software updates are made in a timely manner once they’re released.
• Create company policies that monitor the apps drivers download, and outline which are security risks, and coach drivers to turn off unused apps.
• Consider using multi-factor authentication as an added layer of security—you can also train staff to spot suspicious phishing emails and avoid clicking on them.

In addition, consider using these 3 tactics to specifically safeguard your telematics data:

1. Prioritize data access to limit potential exposures and attacks.?Limit access of specific types and sets of data to only those who need to view it in order to prevent unauthorized individuals from gaining systems entry. 1
2. Understand how and when your telematics devices update.?Be sure to learn how updates occur and under what conditions—while the vehicle is running, overnight, etc.—to ensure security updates take effect. 1
3. Protect your drivers with anonymity when possible.?There will be times when you need to track data related to specific drivers. But when that’s not the case, change telematics settings to create anonymous data trails.1

Vehicles' Link to the Internet Brings New Cybersecurity Risks?

Telematics gets more useful when fleet managers see their vehicles' data in real-time. But this tech comes with a trade-off. For instance, think of a truck constantly linked to the internet in a few different ways. These connections give hackers openings to attack the vehicle from nearly anywhere in the world at any time. It's almost like plugging a bunch of internet cables into the truck — but you can't unplug them or turn them off.?

Hackers Can Seize Control of the Vehicle or Steal Data

someone might electronically unlock the doors to steal what's inside. But, on the other hand, terrorists might want to harm the driver or those around the vehicle.?

The second kind of cyberattack involving a vehicle is a classic data breach. Of course, we all know about data breaches — we read about them in the news all the time. What's new here, however, is that the vehicle is now an avenue for the attack.?

For example, many vehicle computers store data about recent routes and driving times, even if the driver isn't using automatic navigation. A hacker who can access the truck's GPS history can steal this data.?

Fortunately, we are not aware of these attacks happening in the wild. But unless our industry takes the risk seriously, it’s only a matter of time.?

4 Defenses Against Vehicle Cyberattacks?

Does all this scare you a bit? Good. Awareness of the problem is the first line of defense. The rest of this article explores strategies you can use to protect your fleet from cyberattacks. We'll start with four general tips.?

#1: Place security standards in procurement policies?

The first step toward protection is to buy products designed to be secure. So put well-known cybersecurity standards in your purchasing policies and RFPs. If you're unsure which criteria are best, consult your IT folks or an outside specialist.?

A good tech vendor should be willing to put security best practices use a standard called validated FIPS 140-2 to encrypt every transmission made by our aftermarket telematics devices. So even if a hacker managed to listen to these devices' connections, she couldn't make any sense of the data.?

#2: Create and teach a mobile app policy?

Whether Android or iPhone, online stores have dozens of apps that connect to your car. Unfortunately, the cybersecurity for these programs ranges from stellar to sad.?

Techs using their phones to see trouble codes might sound like a great idea, but an app with poor security can let hackers hop from the phone into the car. A policy and training program can help here. Try identifying a set of handy apps from respected brands, then coach your employees on using just those.?

#3: Disable unused capabilities and apps in your vehicles?

Unfortunately, the internet connections we've described are often active by default, even when the engine is off. But they don't have to be.?

Take Bluetooth as an example. If you have no business purpose for using a truck's Bluetooth service, disable it. Once the connection is off, that's one less avenue for hackers to enter the vehicle's computers.?

You can shut down some of these connections via the infotainment system's settings menu. In other cases, you might need to ask the OEM for guidance. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't always advertise how to deactivate these links, but you can do it in most cases.?

#4: Deregister vehicles when buying or disposing?

De-fleeting a vehicle — or buying a used one — is the perfect time to clean out its digital clutter. So, inform any online service providers tied to the vehicle upon buying or remarketing it.?

4 Strategies for Guarding Telematics Data?

Telematics is flooding every part of the fleet industry. As a result, this ocean of information is ripe for data theft. Luckily, an aware fleet manager can take precautions. Here are four tactics for guarding your telematics data.?

#1: Limit data access to only those employees who need it?

The more people who have access to your telematics data, the bigger the risk a hacker will steal it. To counter that risk, grant access to only those who need it.?

For example, we have worked with fleet managers who only allow one or two people direct access to the actual telematics data. Those privileged people, in turn, provide summary reports to others.?

#2: Facilitate regular updates for telematics devices?

We are all familiar with how security patches work for our smartphones. Once in a while, the phone has to download an update with the latest safeguards and restart itself.?

The telematics computers on your vehicles do the same thing. These updates happen behind the scenes without needing your techs to do anything — most of the time. But some devices need special conditions for an update to happen. For example, some telematics components don't function when the engine is off. Such devices on an unused vehicle likely aren't getting updated.?

Talk with your telematics provider. Understand what your people need to do to make these updates happen.?

#3: Anonymize driver data unless you need to identify drivers?

There are often good reasons for identifying specific drivers within your telematics data. But such precision presents risks if that data ever makes it into a hacker's hands. Consider GPS history. An attacker who can identify drivers and their location histories knows where and when your specific employees work, park, and take lunch.?

Here is a rule of thumb: If you don't need to identify drivers in your telematics, don't. The switch can be as simple as changing a setting in your telematics app.??

#4: Clarify who owns the data if you leave your telematics provider?

A relationship between a government fleet and its telematics provider isn't permanent. If you choose to switch vendors, understand what the outgoing vendor will do with the data generated from your vehicles.?

Why is that important for security? If you have a copy of the information and your old vendor has a copy, there are two copies in the world. That's double the odds that a hacker can steal it. Instead, if your old vendor agrees to delete its copy of your data, then there is only one copy. A good telematics vendor will clarify in your contract what will happen to your information if the relationship ends.?Source :- governmenfleet.com/verizonconnect.com