industry Insights
Cyber Security, Digital Twin and Trusted Mobility – By SecureThings Amar Bhosale, Sanyam Agarwal SecureThings
Discover Digital Twin. The point of convergence between the physical and virtual world is called Digital Twin Technology. The concept was first introduced by NASA in 2002 where it was referred to as the Mirrored Spaces Model. These were full-scale mock-ups of early space capsules, used on the ground to mirror and diagnose problems in orbit, which eventually evolved to fully digital simulations. Both the concept and technology behind Digital Twin however has gained momentum in the past couple of years and are revolutionizing the manufacturing industry while rapidly moving into almost every industry that has even basic technological capabilities. So what can digital twin technology do for you? Why should you be even reading about it, that too from SecureThings - a brand that’s all about automotive cybersecurity? Digital Twin Tech is the next big thing in most of the business sectors. To give an example, in the automotive sector, digital twins can be used for creating the virtual model of a connected vehicle. It can capture the behavioral and operational data of the vehicle and help in analyzing the overall vehicle performance as well as the connected features. It also enables OEMs in delivering a truly customized after-sales service to customers. Not only in the automobile sector, but digital twin technology is gaining popularity in manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and even in developing smart cities. The key factor for the success of a digital twin is uninterrupted and real-time exchange of data or update packages for 38 | Telematics Wire | October 2020
firmware or software updates, between the actual product and virtual model.
Digital Twin & Cyber Security As digital twins increasingly become more accessible and operational, many organizations are turning to this technology to improve productivity, thwart downtime, and monitor forthcoming setbacks on the real system. Of course, the benefits of using digital twin technology are many, but a side-effect is that with greater connectivity comes greater vulnerabilities and greater risk of attacks. To create a digital twin, the physical asset is built with one or more sensors that collect real-time data and operational status. This is sent via a cloud-based system before being analyzed, using machine learning algorithms in cases where there are more complicated variables. Based on the relayed information, changes identified are then replicated in the twin. For instance, in a connected vehicle, a digital twin will be programmed to flag any maintenance or service issue that arises from periodic usage or an accident. A digital twin will alert the OEMs service platform via Cloud about say an engine part change. The OEMs can then update the vehicle owner about it as well as a parts vendor and be successful in delivering a great customer service experience. The above process can work flawlessly if the data sent via the cloud is trustworthy and not tampered. However, if a cyber-criminal was to hack into the vehicle and send malicious content via the cloud to the digital twin, then the experience would be quite
different. While this being just an example, the important part is that the intention of a cyberattack might not be to disrupt your customer service ratings. Thus not just Data but Trusted Data is critical for digital twin technology to work. Organizations must therefore seriously consider the security implications of a digital twin and take a new approach to security. As vehicle complexities are increasing with every new prototype introduced and now with autonomous vehicles hitting the roads, cybersecurity is becoming more of a requisite, not just an option. These modern vehicles are ‘data banks on wheels’ which are easy targets for nefarious hackers. Protecting this data, ensuring its integrity has become a high priority.
SecureThings & Digital Twin Technology for Automobiles The Digital revolution isn’t a technology outcome, but a business outcome that is enabled by technology and driven by security. As digital twin technology becomes popular, sheer volumes of data are being collected, transmitted, and processed from products, assets, and processes — and being conveyed back and forth to the digital twin. The question to be asked is, how much of the Data from this $1.4 Trillion market is secure and trusted? As pioneers in Automotive Cybersecurity, SecureThings believe that ‘security’ must be embedded within the existing telemetry sensors technology or 4G/5G connectivity to ensure digital trust throughout the entire lifecycle of a product.
