BlackBerry Unveils Car Security Software
BlackBerry has released a new car security software named Jarvis, a software cyber security product helping detect flaws in car software before it is installed into the vehicle. Jarvis is a cloud-based static binary code scanning solution that identifies vulnerabilities in software used in automobiles.
Jarvis scans and delivers deep actionable insights in minutes, what would otherwise involve manually scanning that will take large numbers of experts and an impractical amount of time.
BlackBerry says it is initially marketing this solution to automakers, whose complex software supply chains create compelling and urgent use cases that Jarvis can help solve today. The company says Jarvis could be used in healthcare, industrial automation, aerospace and defence.
John Chen, CEO at BlackBerry says, “Connected and autonomous vehicles require some of the most complex software ever developed, creating a significant challenge for automakers who must ensure the code complies with industry and manufacturer-specific standards while simultaneously battle-hardening a very large and tempting attack surface for cybercriminals.
“Jarvis is a game-changer for OEMs because for the first time they have a complete, consistent, and near real-time view into the security posture of a vehicle’s entire code base along with the insights and deep learning needed to predict and fix vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, and remain a step ahead of bad actors.”
Jarvis is offered on a pay-as-you-go usage basis, it is customised for the different needs of each OEM and their entire software supply chain. Once initiated, automakers will have online access to Jarvis and can scan any number of binary files at every stage of software development. This includes the capability to evaluate new software under consideration as well as the ability to assess existing software already in production. Once scanned, development teams have immediate access to the results via user-friendly dashboards with specific cautions and advisories.
In addition to cost and time savings, BlackBerry Jarvis helps ensure that production software adheres to industry standards such as MISRA and CERT, and enables OEMs to define custom rules to meet organisation-specific objectives.
Jaguar and Land Rover are already testing the software. BlackBerry are going down a similar road to Android and Apple who have Android Auto and CarPlay respectively.
The mobile company unveiled the new software at the North American International Automotive Show in Detroit, Michigan.