Upstream Security, a prominent cybersecurity provider specializing in extended detection and response (XDR) for connected vehicles and IoT, has announced today a significant investment from Cisco Investments. The increasing prevalence of intricate IoT devices within the Mobility, Automotive, and Transportation sectors brings about unprecedented operational efficiencies, data-centric services, and enhanced customer experiences. However, the advanced connectivity and software-defined elements also present significant cyber risks on a large scale, endangering business continuity and data integrity. Upstream is already safeguarding millions of connected vehicles and IoT devices globally, offering a cloud-based multi-layered approach to extended detection and response.
Yoav Levy, Co-founder and CEO of Upstream Security, expresses excitement about welcoming Cisco Investments to their investor group, stating, “This investment presents a unique opportunity for us to expand our impact in the IoT sector, particularly in Mobility, Automotive, and Transportation.”
This investment from Cisco Investments underscores the critical need for tailored IoT cybersecurity solutions to protect the mobility and IoT ecosystem throughout the entire development and production lifecycle.
Aleem Rizvon, Vice President of Cisco Investments, emphasizes their commitment to enabling global automobile manufacturers to deliver secure connectivity as vehicles evolve into data centers on wheels. Rizvon notes, “With an anticipated 95% of new vehicles equipped with embedded connectivity by 2030, the prevalence of automotive cybersecurity threats will rise. Investing in solutions to ensure the implementation of appropriate safeguards for secure connectivity and operation is crucial to fostering trust and widespread adoption of the technology, not only within the automotive sector but also across other IoT applications.”
Transforming the Landscape of IoT Cybersecurity
Upstream’s cloud-based IoT XDR platform conducts real-time analysis of the contextual state of physical IoT assets and their interconnected environment to comprehensively identify and mitigate cyber risks. The platform operates without agents, eliminating the need for software or hardware installation and enabling swift deployment for comprehensive coverage of devices already in use.
By ingesting, parsing, and normalizing vast volumes of data from connected vehicles, IoT protocols, telematics, API transactions, and other sources, the platform creates unique digital twins—near-real-time representations of devices and endpoints, facilitating holistic and effective detection. Through the monitoring of device, service, and asset behavior, the platform detects both known and unknown anomalies based on proprietary machine learning-powered models.
Complementing the platform is a purpose-built vehicle security operation center (vSOC) dedicated to monitoring and investigating connected vehicle and IoT cyber threats. Upstream offers a comprehensive suite of cybersecurity solutions and services to empower customers to proactively identify and remediate cyber threats. The utilization of Upstream’s Ocean AI, powered by Generative AI capabilities, streamlines the investigation and remediation process.
