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back to article The car in front has Kaspersky deep inside

Kaspersky Lab is taking anti-virus in a different direction by embedding it in SCADA-based industrial control systems, components of the Internet of Things, and yep, even cars. The Russian security software firm and SYSGO has teamed up to embed the new Kaspersky Security System platform within SYSGO's real-time operating …

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  1. h4rm0ny

    Russian.

    Kapersky are based in Russia and we all know the direction that government has been heading in. But on the other hand, Kapersky do actual security research - they're very good. Kapersky are the ones that unearthed the Equation Group amongst other interesting things. Year on year, Trend Micro is typically the only one that beats them for malware coverage in their anti-virus products (and it's a close call).

    As devices get more sophisticated this sort of thing is going to become necessary. I'm not surprised to find Kapersky at the forefront of this.

    [b]EDIT:[/b] I realize the above sounds like a puff-piece. I have no affiliation with them. I just finished doing a review of anti-malware solutions for an assessment and Kapersky came out top alongside Trend Micro so they're on my mind right now.

    5 2 Reply
    1. Anonymous Coward
      Reply Icon
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Russian.

      I knew they were working on an OS of sorts (and have been for years) - I'm glad it has now come out of the lab so I can have a look at it.

      I'm intrigued by how Kaspersky has managed to keep the wolves at bay. Over the years they have been consistently refusing to whitelist government spyware, irrespective of country and origin, which must have been hard. Some of these regimes are not really used to receiving "no" for an answer..

      3 0 Reply

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  3. Hellcat

    About time

    Well, with IPv6 and everything being internet accessible, it's about time the security companies started talking about how we're going to stop a botnet of microwave ovens burning down whole towns. I've seen them sort of questions asked here enough about the internet of things, but very little in the way of answers from the developers and promoters.

    2 0 Reply
  4. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    "separate the safety-critical subsystems from infotainment components in cars"

    Can that not be more securely done by putting them on different physical networks ?

    Is that so hard ?

    9 0 Reply
  5. jake Silver badge

    SCADA should never be Internet connected in the first place.

    As for automobiles ... I'm fairly certain all'y'all have noticed that TheLaw[tm] is stumped by criminals breaking into cars with electronic "locking" devices ...

    On to the article ... ""By teaming up with Kaspersky Lab we bring IT security to embedded systems," said Knut Degen, chief exec of SYSGO, in a canned statement."

    My embedded systems aren't connected to TehIntraWebTubes to begin with ... There is a reason the term "air gap" exists. I don't need Russian shysters to secure my equipment for the simple reason that they are unable to access it in the first place.

    First rule of security: Deny physical access.

    3 3 Reply
  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A decent embedded OS shouldn't need antivirus in the first place

    Because there should be so few attack vectors it should be virtually impossible to inject malicious code and even if it does get inside it should be limited to the sub system its in and any misbehaviour detected by a watchdog which shuts it down.

    But then most of these industrial systems and even cars run some version of Windows so I guess these companies reap what they sow.

    4 1 Reply
    1. Anonymous Blowhard
      Reply Icon

      Re: A decent embedded OS shouldn't need antivirus in the first place

      "there should be so few attack vectors it should be virtually impossible to inject malicious code"

      Won't an embedded O/S have exactly the same attack vectors as any other O/S?

      Network communications (if it is ever connected to a network LAN/WAN/WLAN/Bluetooth)

      Storage device (if anyone ever plugs a USB drive into it)

      Connected device (if anyone connects a peripheral to it)

      The attack surface may be much smaller that an O/S that's providing lots of services (SQL, HTTP etc.) but that's not exactly a defence just less to exploit.

      When it comes to physical access, it could be much more vulnerable than your home PC; how do you know what's on the diagnostics computer that the garage connected to your car during its last service?

      When it comes to computer security in 2015 pointing the finger at Microsoft and saying "it will only be a problem for Windows" is the ostrich approach.

      1 1 Reply
  7. John Tserkezis

    Please remain stationary while we do an update.

    Your front left wheel has now been identifed as malicious, and has been disabled and quarantined for your safety.

    Sorry, creating an exception to this rule is not available for that wheel.

    Customer support cannot be called because your cellular modem has been identified as a threat.

    The human in the driver's seat has been identified as suspect with the heuristics scan.

    Deploying the ejector seat - for your safety of course.

    The ejector seat has a virus and has been quarantined.

    Locking the doors and deploying the poison gas.

    Thank you for using Kaspersky Labs.

    3 0 Reply
    1. h4rm0ny
      Reply Icon

      Re: Please remain stationary while we do an update.

      >>"Thank you for using Kaspersky Norton."

      2 1 Reply
  8. Fred Flintstone Gold badge

    >>"Thank you for using Kaspersky Norton."

    I wouldn't worry about that one - that would take so much in resources it would not even leave enough to power the solenoids to open the doors :)

    4 0 Reply

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