automotive

Security and resilience in connected manufacturing environments

The automotive industry places exceptionally high demands on quality, availability, security and the precise coordination of supply chains. Manufacturing depends on the interconnection of information systems, production technologies, automated processes, specialised applications and external partners. Even a short outage or disruption of a critical service can affect production schedules, downstream deliveries and the fulfilment of customer obligations.

Vehicle manufacturers, component suppliers and technology companies also work with sensitive development, manufacturing, commercial and personal information. They must protect their know-how, manage access by external partners and meet regulatory, contractual and industry-specific requirements.

We help automotive organisations manage cybersecurity, technological, operational and regulatory risks as an interconnected whole. Our services include cybersecurity, compliance, sensitive information protection, risk management, information technology and digital transformation.

Cybersecurity of manufacturing and enterprise systems

Modern automotive manufacturing connects enterprise information systems with production technologies, automated lines, logistics processes, warehouses and the systems of external suppliers. This connectivity improves operational efficiency but also expands the potential for technical vulnerabilities, incorrect configurations and unauthorised access.

We conduct security management audits focused on technological measures, internal processes, the allocation of responsibilities and the actual effectiveness of security in everyday operations. We assess not only documentation, but also system administration, access permissions, remote connections, privileged accounts and external support arrangements.

Vulnerability assessments combine automated tools with expert manual verification of identified weaknesses. We focus on enterprise applications, servers, communication infrastructure, endpoint devices and other parts of the environment whose compromise could affect the organisation’s operations.

We can also test the company’s resilience through controlled simulations of cyberattacks. Red Team Operations assess technological security, the ability to detect an attack, employee response and the effectiveness of established processes.

The outcome is a practical overview of vulnerabilities and recommendations prioritised according to actual risk, operational impact and the complexity of remediation.

Security of IT and manufacturing technologies

Manufacturing environments often include technologies with different lifecycles, varying levels of security and limited update options. Some systems were originally designed for isolated operation but have gradually been connected to the enterprise network, remote administration or supplier systems.

We help organisations identify technological dependencies and evaluate risks arising at the interface between IT and manufacturing environments. We assess network segmentation, access management, technical accounts, remote maintenance, asset inventories and the organisation’s readiness to respond to operational disruption.

Recommended measures are adapted to the realities of manufacturing. We take account of availability requirements, limited maintenance windows, the lifecycle of production equipment and the risks that unplanned changes could create in the operational environment.

The objective is not to apply standard enterprise IT practices without regard for the nature of manufacturing, but to establish a proportionate and sustainable system of protection.

Risk management and production continuity

In the automotive industry, technological risks directly affect manufacturing, logistics, quality and the fulfilment of contractual obligations. The unavailability of an information system, production asset, data connection or critical supplier service can interrupt an individual process or an entire production chain.

We help organisations identify and classify assets, evaluate threats and vulnerabilities and define risk-management priorities. We assess technological, operational, cybersecurity, regulatory, financial and project risks and their possible combined effects.

A Business Impact Analysis identifies critical processes, their technological, personnel and supplier dependencies and the maximum acceptable duration of operational disruption. Based on the results, we design Business Continuity Management and Disaster Recovery arrangements.

We prepare policies, responsibilities, communication procedures and recovery scenarios for situations such as cyberattacks, infrastructure outages, data loss, the unavailability of a critical application or the failure of an external supplier.

Continuity plans must reflect the actual organisation of production and be regularly tested. We therefore focus on the practical usability of the procedures, their validation and continuous updating.

Supply-chain risk management

The automotive industry operates through extensive and interconnected supply chains. Organisations depend on suppliers of components, technologies, software, infrastructure, maintenance, logistics and professional services.

An external partner may have access to enterprise systems, production environments, technical documentation or sensitive project information. A security weakness affecting a supplier can therefore become a risk for the entire organisation.

We help companies identify critical suppliers, evaluate related risks and establish appropriate requirements for security, availability and service delivery. We assess the allocation of responsibilities, access permissions, contractual conditions, remote support arrangements and the supplier’s readiness to respond to security incidents.

Supplier risk management is integrated with the organisation’s overall risk-management system. The result is a more transparent overview of dependencies and the ability to focus controls on the partners and services with the greatest operational impact.

Protection of development, manufacturing and commercial information

Automotive companies process substantial volumes of information whose loss, modification or unauthorised disclosure could result in significant commercial and operational damage. This includes technical documentation, design data, prototype information, production procedures, pricing documentation, customer data and contractual records.

We help organisations identify and classify sensitive information across structured and unstructured sources. We assess where information is stored, who has access to it, how it is shared and how its lifecycle is managed.

We design rules for access management, information sharing, archiving and secure data disposal. This may include the development of a data loss prevention strategy and technical, organisational and procedural measures corresponding to actual risks.

Particular attention is given to information shared with customers, development partners and external suppliers. Protection must be maintained not only within the organisation, but throughout the entire process of collaboration.

Compliance and customer requirements

Automotive organisations must respond to a combination of legislative obligations, internal rules, contractual commitments, industry standards and customer security requirements. These requirements often also apply to suppliers and subcontractors.

We assess the current state and help organisations identify gaps between existing processes and the required level of compliance. We recommend specific measures required to eliminate identified shortcomings and maintain compliance over the long term.

We support the implementation of processes, responsibilities, controls, internal policies and related documentation. We also help organisations prepare for internal, customer and external audits and verify whether implemented measures operate effectively in practice.

We view compliance as a continuous process. Requirements must be regularly evaluated and reflected in the management of technologies, suppliers, projects and everyday operations.

IT strategy and long-term development of the technology environment

Information technology must support not only current manufacturing, but also changes in production programmes, the development of automation, the integration of new applications and growing demands for data processing.

We conduct IT audits focused on operational risk, performance, security, technical debt and the long-term sustainability of existing solutions. We assess applications, infrastructure, data centres, communication environments, cloud services and the way IT services are managed.

We help organisations prepare an IT strategy and a realistic development plan for their technology environment. We design a target enterprise architecture connecting business processes, applications, data and technology platforms while reducing unsuitable dependencies and unnecessary complexity.

We also support the establishment of an IT operating model, the division of responsibilities between internal teams and external partners and the implementation of processes for effective service management.

Digital transformation and process integration

Digital transformation in automotive manufacturing requires more than the implementation of individual applications. New solutions must be integrated with existing processes, manufacturing technologies, data sources and the systems of business partners.

We help organisations evaluate the state of their application environment and prepare a modernisation strategy. We design integration architectures and digital platforms connecting processes, applications and data across the organisation.

We support the digitalisation of document and approval processes, the implementation of DMS and ECM solutions and the establishment of data governance rules. The objective is to improve the availability and quality of information, reduce manual activities and create a more transparent environment for managing manufacturing and related processes.

During the preparation and implementation of technology projects, we provide project management and expert technical supervision. We help prepare functional and technical specifications, procurement procedures and evaluations of supplier solutions.

Comprehensive support for automotive organisations

Cybersecurity, risk management, compliance, IT and digital transformation cannot be addressed separately in the automotive industry. A change to an application may affect a manufacturing process, a new supplier may create a security dependency and an inadequately prepared project may introduce long-term operational risks.

Comsec combines expertise from individual areas and designs solutions corresponding to the size of the organisation, its position in the supply chain and the nature of its manufacturing and technological environment.

Cooperation may include a one-off assessment of a selected area, resolution of a specific security or technological issue, support for a transformation project or long-term professional cooperation.