BlackBerry unveils solution to identify vulnerabilities in automobiles

In a keynote address at the North American International Automotive Show (NAIAS), BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB; TSX: BB) Executive Chairman and CEO, John Chen, today unveiled BlackBerry Jarvis, a transformational software cybersecurity product. BlackBerry is initially marketing this solution to automakers, whose complex software supply chains create compelling and urgent use cases that Jarvis can help solve today. BlackBerry also noted that Jarvis is applicable to other industry segments, citing healthcare, industrial automation, aerospace, and defense as examples of other fields with immediate need for this product.

Built on the company’s decades of cybersecurity expertise and proprietary technology, Jarvis is a one-of-its-kind 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. 

“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,” said John Chen, Executive Chairman and CEO, BlackBerry.

Exacerbating the challenge for OEMs is the fact that vehicles use hundreds of software components, many of which are written by an expansive network of third party suppliers spread across several tiers. This distributed supply chain offers many advantages while also increasing opportunities for human error that can slow down production cycles and impact overall quality.

Mr. Chen continued: “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.”

How Jarvis Works

Offered on a pay-as-you-go usage basis, Jarvis is customised for the unique 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.

Proven and Tested

BlackBerry has already begun trailing Jarvis with some of the world’s largest automakers.

“Jaguar Land Rover and BlackBerry share a common objective in bringing the most intelligent vehicles to reality” said Dr. Ralf Speth, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover. “BlackBerry Jarvis addresses the software cybersecurity needs of the automotive industry.  In our independent study, Jarvis delivered excellent efficiencies in time-to-market, significantly reducing the time to security assess code from thirty days to seven minutes. The productivity delivered by Jarvis combined with BlackBerry’s trusted security heritage can transform vehicle safety.”

Providing the Secure Foundation for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles

As a leader in safety-certified, secure, and reliable software for the automobile industry, BlackBerry currently provides OEMs around the world with state-of-the-art cybersecurity technology to mitigate the risk of cyberattacks targeting a vehicle’s software. BlackBerry’s pedigree in security and continued innovation has led to recent automotive design wins with Baidu, Delphi, Denso, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Visteon, and others. To learn more about BlackBerry’s trusted secure embedded software platform for the autonomous vehicle market, please visit BlackBerry.com/QNX

Additional information on BlackBerry Jarvis can be found at BlackBerry.com/Jarvis

About BlackBerry

BlackBerry is a cybersecurity software and services company dedicated to securing the Enterprise of Things. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company was founded in 1984 and operates in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa. The Company trades under the ticker symbols “BB” on the Toronto Stock Exchange and “BB” on the New York Stock Exchange.