Seoul: Hyundai Motor Group has launched its first-ever group-level cyberthreat response team in response to increasing cybersecurity risks across various industrial sectors. The team, led by Yang Ki-chang, head of the group's Integrated Security Center, will focus on vulnerability assessments, threat monitoring, and incident responses across all group affiliates.

According to Yonhap News Agency, this initiative marks a significant shift from previous practices where each unit of Hyundai Motor Group managed cyberattack responses independently. The establishment of a centralized team aims to enhance coordination in cyberdefense efforts, reflecting the group's proactive stance in preventing hacking incidents, similar to those recently reported in the telecom industry, from affecting its affiliates. This move also prepares the company for potential cybersecurity risks associated with internet-connected electric vehicles (EVs).

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Corp., the group's key automotive units, have significantly increased their investments in cybersecurity in recent years. The Korea Internet and Security Agency reported that the two automakers invested a total of 62.14 billion won (approximately US$42.5 million) in information security this year, marking a 46.1 percent increase from the previous year.

An industry expert emphasized the importance of cybersecurity for connected cars, noting that cyberattacks targeting vehicles can infiltrate broader network systems, posing direct threats to the safety of drivers and pedestrians. The new cybersecurity measures by Hyundai Motor Group underscore the necessity of robust defenses in the era of connected vehicles.