Intercede announces strategic cybersecurity collaboration group for connected vehicles

Group will investigate and define security best practices for connected vehicles, including how they communicate with each other, people and transport infrastructure

London, UK – Leading digital identity expert Intercede today announced the formation of a strategic collaboration group with MIRA, the internationally renowned transportation engineering research and development Centre of Excellence, and Plextek Consulting, a specialist in automotive product and systems design. The group will explore cybersecurity for connected vehicles, including investigating communication systems between vehicles, infrastructure and people.

The initiative will also explore how a secure connected environment can improve the efficiency of transport infrastructure, including interactions with advanced propulsion and the creation of co-operative vehicles.

The connected vehicle is one of the most frequently cited and potentially most valuable uses of the Internet of Things. However, it brings with it the potential for severe consequences should security systems be unable to mitigate any cyber threats. It is essential that vehicle components can trust each other and that only the driver or autonomous driving system can give the car instructions, with hackers unable to inject their own commands.

Each member of the collaboration group, which was announced at the Cyber Growth Partnership workshop in London, will contribute key skills and experience needed to drive innovation and create a robust framework to deliver the necessary protection for these exciting technological developments.

Richard Parris, CEO of Intercede, commented: “Connected vehicles herald a new dawn in motoring and are already capturing the imagination of consumers and suppliers alike, but unfortunately this also means that the imagination of hackers and criminals will have been stimulated.

“Identity and credential management is vital in the fight against these potential security attacks. This group has been formed to ensure best practice across the whole spectrum of security is defined and in place early in the manufacturing process, with the aim of protecting road users.”

“Ensuring the safety and security of connected vehicles is crucial given the potential consequences if criminals perform a successful hack,” added Chris Reeves, Commercial Manager for Intelligent Mobility at MIRA. “By joining this collaboration, we are seeking to address this potential threat and identify security best practice to mitigate against the associated risks.”’

Andrew Ashby, Automotive & Transport Business Manager at Plextek Consulting commented: “Bringing together Plextek Consulting’s automotive and security expertise with the knowledge of Intercede and MIRA will ensure a rounded discussion of the complex nature of the emerging connected vehicle industry. With such a strong mix of experts within the field, the group can together draw on the knowledge of a range of professionals to ensure the whole spectrum of security issues are considered, both for connected vehicles and for the broader transport infrastructure.”

About Intercede

Intercede is a software company specialising in identity and credential management with a global team of experts located in the US and UK.

Intercede’s MyID software enables organisations to create and use trusted digital identities for employees, citizens and machines. This allows secure access to services, facilities, information and networks.

MyID meets the highest government standards yet is simple enough to be deployed onto consumer devices such as smartphones and tablets. Critically, MyID provides an easy, convenient and secure alternative to passwords.

Millions of identities are managed using MyID and Intercede has provided identity verification and management services to global customers for more than 20 years. MyID is a commercial-off-the-shelf software product, designed and developed to be configurable so it can be embedded as the cornerstone of cybersecurity infrastructure for governments and corporations.

Customers trusting Intercede for secure digital identity include the US and UK governments and some of the world’s largest corporations, telecommunications providers and information technology partners.

For more information visit www.intercede.com or follow us at @IntercedeMyID

About MIRA

MIRA Ltd is a world-leader in advanced engineering, research and product testing. Over the past 68 years it has grown into a truly international organisation with facilities located around the world. MIRA’s work spans the automotive, defence, aerospace and rail industries and includes the development of ground-breaking intelligent mobility technologies.

For more information visit www.mira.co.uk

About Plextek Consulting

Part of the Plextek Group, Plextek Consulting develops and commercialises diverse technologies for the defence & security; healthcare & wellness; automotive & transport; energy & environment and telecoms & network markets. It is the development partner of choice for over 300 global organisations, including major corporations, government bodies and ambitious start up companies such as BAE Systems, the UK MoD, QinetiQ, Raytheon, TDK, Sony, LoJack Corporation, TRACKER Network (UK) Ltd, Selex ES, Clarion, Rolls Royce, Ultra Electronics, MBDA, Pneumacare and RedTail Telematics Ltd. At the forefront of business and product innovation since 1989, the international multidisciplinary consultancy is capable of transforming businesses and managing customers’ entire product development cycle, from product strategy and system design to product development, supply and launch. The company’s broad technical expertise spans electronics and RF design, RFIC & MMIC, embedded software design, image & video processing, OS & application software as well as production and mechanical engineering. Plextek Consulting’s unique approach is anchored by its ‘Innovation Centre’ initiative, developed to inspire and generate conceptual ideas by collaborating with other businesses to create a ‘cross-pollination’ of innovation across different market sectors.