Cyberattacks in the automotive industry are on the rise. They’re also becoming more impactful. And the gap between the risk landscape and organizational resilience is growing. Automotive cybersecurity is at a critical moment, and the choice is clear: close the cybersecurity gap or suffer the consequences.
Upstream’s 2025 Automotive and Smart Mobility Cybersecurity Report is a critical insight into the state of cybersecurity in the automotive and smart mobility industry. It reveals that the digital revolution supercharging the automotive sector is also making it vulnerable to attack.
“Addressing these challenges requires collective action. OEMs, Tier-1, Tier-2 suppliers, and smart mobility providers must go beyond mere compliance,” said Yoav Levy, CEO of Upstream. “Cybersecurity is no longer a technical challenge; it is a strategic imperative requiring leadership commitment,” he continued.
Automotive Cyber Threats Increase in 2024
The report reveals that the Automotive and Smart Mobility ecosystem experienced a sharp increase in cyber threats throughout 2024. From 2023 to 2024, more than 60% of incidents had a high-massive impact, meaning they involved thousands to millions of mobility assets. To make matters worse, massive-scale incidents tripled and now account for 19% of all cases.
Of those attacks, 92% were launched remotely, and 65% were executed by black hat actors, highlighting their increasing sophistication and motivation. In fact, the sheer scale of these incidents is motivating malicious attackers: 70% of black hat activities had a high-massive impact, while over 76% targeted multiple stakeholders with global reach.
China Reshapes Automotive Markets and Cybersecurity
According to Upstream’s report, China’s strategic investment, combined with continued government support, has solidified the country’s leadership in the global EV market. As such, China also leads the way in the development of cybersecurity standards for intelligent vehicles and plans to leverage its position to influence global industry standards.
However, Upstream also notes that China’s booming EV industry is not without cybersecurity risks: threat actors are increasingly targeting Chinese NEV makers and suppliers with ransomware and data exfiltration attacks, security researchers are discovering critical vulnerabilities in Chinese NEVs – including their telematics systems, vehicle infotainment systems, and OEM apps – and numerous cyber incidents involve Chinese Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers.
As a result, the US is increasingly concerned about potential security risks stemming from Chinese technology in vehicles. In September 2024, for example, the US Department of Commerce proposed a rule to ban connected vehicles using certain hardware or software from China or Russia.
2024’s Top Attack Vectors
Telematics and application servers were by far the most common attack vectors in 2024, being involved in 66% of all incidents. These critical components of modern connected vehicles enable a wide range of services, such as remote diagnostics, emergency assistance, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates. However, their connectivity and data-rich nature make them attractive targets for cyberattacks.
According to the report, telematics servers store sensitive vehicle and user data, including location information, driving behavior, and personal details. It’s not hard to see why this information would be valuable to cybercriminals: if compromised, this data can allow attackers to track or even gain remote control of a vehicle.
Moreover, as telematics servers act as a gateway for OTA updates, which are essential for delivering security patches and new features, they could allow attackers to distribute malicious updates and compromise even entire vehicle fleets.
Advice for the Automotive Industry
Ultimately, however, the report is about helping the automotive industry protect itself. So, what does that entail? Here are Upstream’s suggestions:
- Increase investments in cybersecurity.
- Implement robust security systems.
- Conduct regular security assessments.
- Train employees on cybersecurity.
- Adopt AI-driven detection and investigation capabilities.
The key takeaway is that the automotive industry needs to shift its approach to cybersecurity. As cars become more connected, the risks will only continue to grow; the only way to combat them is with intelligent, proactive cybersecurity measures.
Josh is a Content writer at Bora. He graduated with a degree in Journalism in 2021 and has a background in cybersecurity PR. He's written on a wide range of topics, from AI to Zero Trust, and is particularly interested in the impacts of cybersecurity on the wider economy.
The opinions expressed in this post belong to the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Information Security Buzz.