Introduction

As vehicles become more connected and autonomous, automotive cybersecurity is of paramount importance. Digital certificate handling plays a crucial role in establishing secure connections and protecting vehicle systems from unauthorized access and cyber threats. In this technical article, we will delve into the intricacies of digital certificate handling in automotive cybersecurity and explore its significance in ensuring secure communication within the automotive ecosystem.

Digital Certificates in Automotive Security

Digital certificates serve as the foundation of secure communication in the automotive industry. They are used to authenticate and establish trust between various entities, including vehicles, backend servers, service providers, and other networked components. Digital certificates are based on the public key infrastructure (PKI) framework and contain cryptographic keys and identity information.

Secure Communication Channels

Digital certificates are essential for securing communication channels within the automotive ecosystem. By utilizing Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols, digital certificates enable encrypted connections between vehicles, onboard systems, and external entities. This prevents eavesdropping, tampering, and man-in-the-middle attacks, ensuring the integrity and confidentiality of data transmitted over the network.

Certificate Issuance and Management

In the automotive industry, the issuance and management of digital certificates require careful consideration. Certificate authorities (CAs) play a vital role in issuing trusted certificates. Automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers must establish secure processes for obtaining certificates from trusted CAs, ensuring the integrity of the certificate chain.
Additionally, robust certificate lifecycle management is crucial. This includes proper handling of certificate revocation, expiration, and renewal. Efficient certificate management practices, such as automating certificate updates and monitoring, help maintain a secure and up-to-date ecosystem.

Authentication and Access Control

Digital certificates are used for authentication and access control in automotive systems. When a vehicle or component attempts to establish a connection, the recipient verifies the digital certificate to ensure its authenticity. This validation process includes checking the certificate’s digital signature, expiration date, and the issuing CA’s trustworthiness.
Based on the authenticated identity, access control policies can be enforced. This ensures that only authorized entities can access specific vehicle functions, services, or sensitive data. Granular access control mechanisms help prevent unauthorized access and protect against potential cyber threats.

Secure Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates

OTA updates are integral to keeping vehicle software up to date and secure. Digital certificates play a vital role in ensuring the authenticity and integrity of OTA updates. By utilizing code signing certificates, manufacturers can sign software updates and verify their origin. This prevents malicious or unauthorized software from being installed on vehicles, protecting against potential vulnerabilities or tampering.

Conclusion

In the ever-evolving landscape of automotive cybersecurity, digital certificate handling is a critical aspect of securing vehicle systems and communication channels. By utilizing digital certificates within a robust PKI framework, the automotive industry can establish trust, ensure secure connections, and enforce access control policies. Proper certificate issuance, management, and authentication processes contribute to the overall security posture of vehicles, protecting against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other cyber threats. As the automotive industry continues to embrace connectivity and autonomous technologies, the effective handling of digital certificates will remain a vital component in safeguarding the vehicles of tomorrow.

Table of Contents

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VxLabs GmbH
Franz-Mayer-Str. 1
93053 Regensburg

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Commercial register District Court Regensburg HRB 19099
USt-IdNr.: DE350861467
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1) Introduction

At VxLabs (“we”, “us”, “our”), we are committed to protecting the privacy of our employees, suppliers, and customers. This Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect your personal data in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable data protection laws.

2) Data Controller

VxLabs is the data controller for the personal data described in this Policy.
Contact: [email protected]

3) What is “personal data”?

Personal data” means any information relating to an identified or identifiable person—either directly (e.g., name) or indirectly (e.g., an ID number, online identifier, or one or more factors specific to identity).

4) What data we collect

Depending on your relationship with us, we may collect and process:

  • Identity Data (name, title, employee ID).

  • Contact Data (email, phone, postal address).

  • Financial Data (payment, invoicing details for suppliers/B2B customers).

  • Transaction Data (orders, services provided, payments).

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  • Technical Data (device information, IP address, logs, browsing events related to our services).

  • Marketing & Communication Data (preferences, subscriptions).

5) How we collect your data

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  • Automatically (through systems you access—e.g., logs, cookies, telemetry).

  • From third parties (e.g., background screening providers for employment, credit reference agencies for suppliers, public sources as permitted by law).

6) Why we use your data (purposes)

  • Employee Management (recruitment, payroll, benefits, performance, HR administration).

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  • Communication (service updates, notices, support).

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  • Marketing (with your consent where required).

7) Legal bases for processing

  • Employee Management (recruitment, payroll, benefits, performance, HR administration).

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8) Sharing your data

We may share personal data with:

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  • Others with your consent or as otherwise permitted by law.

9) International transfers

If personal data is transferred outside the EEA/UK, we implement appropriate safeguards (e.g., adequacy decisions, Standard Contractual Clauses plus supplementary measures where necessary).

10) Retention

We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes above and to meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary by data category and legal context. When data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it.

11) Security

We apply technical and organisational measures to protect personal data (access controls, encryption where appropriate, least-privilege policies, vendor due diligence). No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; we work to mitigate risks and respond promptly to incidents.

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You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority—typically in your EU/EEA Member State of residence, place of work, or where an alleged infringement occurred.

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16) Changes to this Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date above reflects the latest version. Material changes will be highlighted where appropriate.

17) Contact

Questions, requests, or concerns:
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