Chinese Automaker Partnership Bolsters Electric Vehicle Cybersecurity

Chinese automaker BYD is leveraging cybersecurity software from Karamba Security to protect its connected vehicles.

Announced at the Escar USA conference, BYD will utilize Karamba's VCode software to automatically identify security issues within the supply chain.

VCode creates a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) for a vehicle’s electronic control unit, enabling automakers like BYD to pinpoint cybersecurity issues before production.

BYD can use the software to score product security for internal use and customer-facing needs, allowing users to present security validations to customers.

The software runs on-premises and can detect weak passwords in connected systems, security flaws in software libraries and lax permissions across certain files.

VCode offers a filtering tool, allowing users to identify actionable insights into potential issues on proprietary filesystems and third-party software. 

Automakers are obligated under United Nations regulation No. 155 to ensure connected vehicles and their systems are secure from potential cyberattacks.

The regulation is now mandatory for vehicles produced in UN member countries and was recently extended to cover bikes and scooters.

Karamba says automakers like BYD can utilize the VCode software to meet cybersecurity regulations without impacting product development efforts.

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“Karamba Security is proud to help successfully bridge U.S., European, Chinese and other nations’ [manufacterers] with their global markets by ensuring they meet rigid cybersecurity regulations and protect their customers,” said Ami Dotan, Karamba’s co-founder and CEO. “Karamba, regulators and automotive manufacturers are united in our commitment to secure vehicles and global supply chains against hackers, who are blind to nationality and are willing to put customer safety and privacy at risk for financial or terrorist reasons.”