Upstream Deepens Investment in Michigan, US with a New Vehicle Security Operation Center

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Sep 07, 2022, 08:00 ET

Automotive-related cybersecurity incidents are at an all-time high fueled by fast adoption of electric vehicles, over-the-air updates, and smart mobility and customer experience applications.
Amid rising cyber threats, Upstream's new vSOC, based in Ann Arbor, Mich., expands the company's detection and response platform for its U.S.-based automotive and smart mobility clients.

HERZLIYA, Israel and ANN ARBOR, Mich. , Sept. 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Upstream, the creator of industry-leading cloud-based cybersecurity and data management platform for connected vehicles and smart mobility, is opening its first U.S.-based vehicle security operation center (vSOC) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to closely surveil and mitigate emerging cyber threats and risks for its U.S.-based automotive clients.

Data and connectivity are the foundation of the automotive industry's transformation, unlocking new revenue streams and business opportunities for automotive stakeholders and users. But, connectivity and mobility applications bring a wide range of cyber risks.

"Upstream enables OEMs to build trust into the connected vehicles ecosystem," said Yoav Levy, CEO and co-founder of Upstream. "Our platform monitors over 12 million vehicles worldwide. We see new attack surfaces and threats on a regular basis, fueled by a wide variety of vulnerabilities, including EV charging networks, expanded use of smartphone apps that control basic car functions and infotainment systems. This is the right timing to open our U.S.-based vSOC, and Michigan is a natural choice."

"Companies continue to invest in Michigan because of our world-class talent, quality of life, low cost of doing business and culture of innovation," said Trevor Pawl, Michigan's Chief Mobility Officer. "Michigan remains committed to being the global epicenter of the next revolution of the automotive industry and we applaud Upstream's continued success and investment in Michigan's autonomous and electrified future."

"Vehicles are benefiting from a wave of technology innovation, producing transportation that is safer and smarter thanks to connectivity," said Faye Francy, executive director of Auto-ISAC, a global information sharing community established by automakers to address cybersecurity risks. "The very technology that provides us with these new efficiencies also introduces potential cyber risk to the vehicle, and vSOC operations is an application for the automotive industry to proactively address the risk."

In fact, Upstream found more than 50 percent of all reported automotive-related cybersecurity incidents took place during the past two years alone.

"Customer experience applications, by OEMs and smart mobility providers, are one of the fastest growing attack surfaces and account for 6 percent of total attacks in 2022 so far compared to 2 percent in 2021, explains Yaniv Maimon, Upstream's director of vSOC. "Charging stations and infrastructure have also become a significant concern, especially given range anxiety concerns and the constant pressure to accelerate EV adoption."

At the Michigan vSOC, Upstream is hiring and training experienced local cyber and automotive experts to operate the vSOC, offer cross-functional response and mitigate attacks in real time.

"Southeast Michigan's emergence as a high-tech mobility hub and its proximity to our automotive customers, their Tier-1 suppliers and cybersecurity talent makes it a perfect setting for our new vSOC," Levy said, adding that traditional security operation centers focus on compliance and IT assets and lack the holistic and contextual view required to mitigate cybersecurity threats against vehicles, services and entire fleets.

The Michigan-based vSOC is expected to be fully operational by the end of the year. It adds to Upstream's growing network of automotive-specific security centers already active in Israel, and coming soon in Japan. Additional vSOC investments are expected in Europe in the near future.

About Upstream:

Upstream provides a cloud-based data management platform purpose-built for connected vehicles, delivering unparalleled automotive cybersecurity detection and response (V-XDR) and data-driven applications.

The Upstream Platform unlocks the value of vehicle data, empowering customers to build connected vehicle applications by transforming highly distributed vehicle data into centralized, structured, contextualized data lakes. Coupled with AutoThreat® Intelligence, the first automotive cybersecurity threat intelligence solution, Upstream provides industry-leading cyber threat protection and actionable insights, seamlessly integrated into the customer's environment and Vehicle Security Operation Centers (vSOC).

Upstream's customers include some of the world's leading automotive OEMs, suppliers, and MaaS, protecting millions of vehicles.

Upstream's Global Automotive Cybersecurity Report is one of the most comprehensive and authoritative compilations of the cybersecurity threats to the auto industry. Last year brought a staggering evolution in car attacks, seeing hackers blend advanced technologies with sophisticated methodologies. Upstream's analysts researched beyond individual or localized attacks to identify global trends that impact car manufacturers (OEMs) and their suppliers. In addition to its annual report, Upstream recently published its 2022 mid-year report to highlight the emerging cyber trends and incidents.

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SOURCE Upstream Security