Automotive Cybersecurity: Best Practices

Synopsys Editorial Staff

Dec 02, 2021 / 2 min read

Everything is smart and connected these days, including our cars. And our cars are getting smarter and more connected all the time. But just like everything else, being smart not only has its opportunities, but also its challenges. This is especially true if you are a semiconductor designer working to achieve airtight cybersecurity in your automotive designs. How do you ensure your designs will stay ahead of the cyber-haters and the hackers? 

Car speed drive on the road in night city

Our experts have written extensively on the subject. Check out these posts for some valuable insights:

Closing the “Door” on Remote Attackers by Securing Wireless Paths into Vehicles

  • Dennis Kengo Oka, principal automotive security strategist, discusses how wireless communications can be an attack vector and the security considerations to combat it.

Why Its Critical to Design In Security Early to Protect Automotive Systems from Hackers
  • Mike Borza, principal security technologist, explores electronic control units (ECUs) and embedded systems in automotive electronics, including infotainment and in-vehicle networks and the best practices for safeguarding them.

Your Car is a Smartphone on Wheels—and It Needs Smartphone Security
  • Taylor Armerding in our Software Integrity Group will show you why today’s new cars are like smartphones on wheels. He also examines the benefits of a layered approach to the automotive cybersecurity framework.

Upping the Safety Gameplan for Automotive SoCs
  • Rich Collins, senior manager, product marketing, will tell you why you need a safety plan when designing smart vehicles. Automotive SoC design tools can be a part of it.

NHTSA Shares Best Practices for Improving Automotive Cybersecurity
  • Jacob Wilson, senior security consultant, gives an overview of updated automotive cybersecurity guidance from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Don’t Let Automotive Aftermarket Devices Become Security Threats
  • Chris Clark from the Synopsys Automotive Group will walk you through the ins and outs of aftermarket devices and their impact on automotive security.

How ISO/SAE 21434 Impacts EDA and IP Vendors
  • In this post, Clark covers ISO/SAE 21434, the automotive cybersecurity engineering standard, and how it impacts EDA tools and IP.

A Safer Ride Starts by Safeguarding Automotive Sensors
  • Samantha Beaumont, a senior consultant in our Software Integrity Group, explains how cybersecurity measures for automotive sensors can improve driver safety.

Protecting OTA Software Updates from Security Threats
  • Clark discusses the vulnerability of over-the-air (OTA) software updates and the best practices to keep your ride safe.


As you can see, we have a lot to say about automotive cybersecurity to help you in your automotive design efforts. You can look forward to more articles on this subject and, in the meantime, check out how you can design for the future of automotive.

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