Providing connected vehicle security solutions through collaboration with Renesas

Fortinet announced that it demonstrated intelligent cybersecurity features for connected vehicles through Renesas Electronics' solution showcase at CES 2018.

The cybersecurity prototype jointly developed by Fortinet and Renesas integrates Fortinet's FortiOS security operating system with Renesas' R-Car H3 SoC to effectively protect automotive network domains, cloud-based services, and applications.

At this CES, Fortinet and Renesas demonstrated the effectiveness of automated integrated security that can protect drivers from intruders who have taken control of vehicles and applications through simulated cyber attacks, including IPS (intrusion prevention system) attacks and DDoS attacks on the prototype connected vehicle.

Automated security is the foundation for connected vehicle technology and safety systems. Connected vehicles are expected to increase from 37 million units in 2016 to over 300 million units by 2025, and related equipment and service revenue is projected to exceed 250 billion dollars. The key elements driving the global connected vehicle market are in-vehicle connectivity solutions such as smartphone access capabilities, MOD (music on-demand), internet connectivity, and infotainment, as well as data-driven decision-making and self-driving capabilities.

Connected vehicles are equipped with internet access and wireless LAN capabilities, allowing drivers to share vehicle internal and external device connections with the internet. To provide optimal cyber protection and gain consumer trust, automotive manufacturers must design and build technologies based on a security-first mindset. Additionally, vehicle security systems must encompass communication standards, devices, and networks. Visibility, interoperability, and control capabilities must be extended beyond individual vehicles to encompass the larger transportation ecosystem, including road and traffic control systems.

Connected vehicles require multiple security solutions operating as a single system. To this end, through strategic segmentation of key functional areas such as powertrain, telematics, and infotainment, threats should be automatically mitigated. Additionally, real-time threat update systems such as Fortinet FortiGuard Labs must be in place. This provides vehicles with the latest vulnerability and threat information to support more effective and automated protection, reconnects to cloud networks to share events for timely security patches and updates.

Fortinet and Renesas demonstrate how Fortinet Security Fabric technology running on the R-Car H3 SoC provides automated protection and security policy management for in-vehicle communication domains and powertrain, including LTE modules, V2V (Vehicle-to-Vehicle) communication modules, wireless access points (WAP), and engine control modules.

Supported by the on-chip security features of Renesas' R-Car H3, Fortinet controls and mitigates potential cyber threats by protecting inter-domain communication and enforcing policies that restrict access between specific domains. Through simulated IPS and DDoS cyber attack demonstrations, Fortinet shows how FortiOS automatically protects data transmitted from public cloud services to vehicle entertainment systems.

Michael Xie, CTO (Chief Technology Officer) of Fortinet, said, "We are very pleased to showcase through CES a network security solution that meets the unique requirements of the evolving automotive operating environment through our collaboration with Renesas."