Embry-Riddle Students Combat Cybersecurity Threats to Vehicles

Concerns about increasingly connected and hackable vehicles are fueling Embry-Riddle students to take on the challenges of securing cars, trucks and drones from digital threats.

“The risks are greater than most people assume,” said Cyber Intelligence and Security student William Decator. “Compromised vehicles could disrupt complex supply chains, and the impacts could be far-reaching,” he said.

Decator and two fellow undergraduates in the Cyber Intelligence and Security Department joined government and industry leaders — along with peers from other universities — at three events focused on safeguarding critical automotive, heavy trucking and uncrewed aerial vehicle systems.

“Participation at these interdisciplinary events reflects the department’s commitment to developing future cybersecurity leaders,” said Dr. Krishna Sampigethaya, associate professor and chair for the Department of Cyber Intelligence and Security on the Prescott Campus. “Students gain knowledge and practical skills vital to the future of transportation and aerospace technologies.”

In June, Decator, Jordan Wallschlaeger and Bernard Correa III participated in the Cyber Truck Challenge. Held in Warren, Michigan, the event brought together nearly 50 students from 29 universities to find solutions to critical cybersecurity vulnerabilities in freight trucks.

Decator said a single compromised truck could disrupt highway traffic for hours, and widespread breaches could lead to supply shortages. “If trucks are compromised or disabled, cities nationwide would be cut off from essential goods, creating shortages far more severe than those seen during the COVID pandemic,” he said.

Wallschlaeger also attended the Cyber Auto Challenge, held in July in Warren, Michigan. Modern vehicles have multiple points of attack, he said, from entertainment consoles to Wi-Fi and navigation systems. “Almost one hundred percent of vehicles on the road are susceptible. As technology continues to grow, the vulnerabilities will continue.”

In September, Correa participated in the Cyber Drone Challenge in Camp Grayling, Michigan. The event is aimed at the emerging security needs of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). As drones become increasingly ubiquitous in commercial and military sectors, they face unique vulnerabilities, said Correa.

“In warfare, the goal of the attacker is to jam the drone. Some attackers want to hide their drone’s ID to make it untraceable,” he said. “Drones have different configurations that can vary between manufacturers.”

Though unable to share details of the events because of confidentiality, the students agreed that the challenges gave them invaluable real-world exposure to the unique cybersecurity risks to vehicular systems — and the potential consequences of leaving them unchecked.

“Thanks to Embry-Riddle, I was prepared by having an extensive knowledge of how vehicles communicate and work in general,” Wallschlaeger said. “The university specifically helped me by providing opportunities to do research that other students don’t have access to.”

Embry-Riddle’s new RAMN board provides a platform for students to learn how cyberattacks on vehicle systems unfold and develop the skills to counter them. (Photo: Embry-Riddle/Krishna Sampigethaya)

Securing Cars From Cyberattacks

A new educational tool is also providing students in the Cyber Intelligence and Security Department with opportunities to tackle the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of today’s cars. The Resistant Automotive Miniature Network (RAMN) board is a credit card-sized device that simulates vehicle systems to test hacking and defense techniques in a controlled environment.

Using the RAMN board, students participate in Capture-the-Flag (CTF) exercises, competing to gain control over or defend simulated cars. The training goes beyond theory, as students learn how cyberattacks on vehicle systems unfold and develop the skills to counter them.

“Our students engage in critical exercises like Controller Area Network (CAN) bus message injection and defense,” said Jesse Chiu, assistant professor in the Cyber Intelligence and Security Department. “Embry-Riddle is proud to be the first university to integrate the RAMN board into our CTF challenges and automotive cybersecurity research.”

Posted In: Security Intelligence and Safety