Cybersecurity in telematics platforms: why security is decisive when choosing a provider

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Every day, connected vehicles, IoT devices and digital infrastructure generate large volumes of data. This information helps improve process efficiency, enable new services, support faster decision-making and power advanced analytics and artificial intelligence systems. At the same time, it raises an increasingly important question: how can companies ensure that this data remains secure, accurate, available and traceable?

The relationship between connected vehicles and cybersecurity has therefore become a central issue for every company using connected mobility services. For businesses asking "what is cybersecurity?" in practical terms, the answer extends far beyond the protection of an individual vehicle. Choosing a telematics provider also means selecting a partner for risk management. Platform security is not an optional feature alongside service functionality: it is a fundamental part of its reliability.

Telematics platforms are particularly exposed to cyber risks for several reasons. They manage large volumes of data in transit, connect with critical business systems, rely on distributed architectures and involve a wide range of users, devices, applications and infrastructure. This makes connected vehicle cybersecurity and broader vehicle cybersecurity essential considerations for mobility companies.

Every component within this ecosystem increases the potential attack surface. Protecting a telematics platform therefore requires a structured, continuous and documented approach that combines prevention with the ability to identify and manage anomalies promptly.

The risks are not limited to unauthorized access to data. In many cases, the most significant issue for the customer is service unavailability. If a platform is affected by an attack, its data becomes inaccessible or the service stops operating correctly, the consequences can directly affect day-to-day business operations.

When a telematics platform becomes unavailable, the issue is not confined to technology: it directly affects everyday business processes. A rental company may no longer have the information it needs to manage its fleet. An insurer may face delays in assisting a customer after an accident. A car-sharing service may be interrupted just as a user needs to unlock or lock a vehicle. In more sensitive environments, such as airports, even an anomaly affecting ground support vehicles can cause delays, inefficiencies and wider operational disruption.

In this context, cybersecurity is not only about protecting information. It also means ensuring that services remain available, reliable and ready to support business operations.

When evaluating an IoT or cloud provider, companies often focus on functionality, price, implementation speed and service scope. One of the most common mistakes is failing to assess the technology and security infrastructure supporting the service with the same level of attention. When comparing automotive cybersecurity solutions, companies should also consider the provider's ability to prevent vulnerabilities, monitor events, respond to incidents, ensure business continuity and maintain high security standards over time.

The questions companies ask should therefore cover not only what the platform can do, but also how it is protected. How are updates managed? What happens when a vulnerability is discovered? Are documented incident response procedures in place? Was security considered from the design stage or added later? Are critical suppliers assessed and monitored? Are certifications maintained through regular audits?

A provider that can answer these questions and support its answers with processes, technologies and certifications is offering more than a platform. It provides a reliable framework that helps reduce business risk.

Targa Telematics integrates security as a core element of its platform. It is not an additional layer applied at a later stage, but a principle that guides the design, management and continued development of its services.

One of the foundations of this approach is security by design. This means designing every platform component with potential risks, attack vectors and data protection requirements in mind from the outset. Integrating security during the design phase helps reduce complexity, contain long-term costs and improve the effectiveness of protective measures. It is central to automotive cybersecurity best practices and, more broadly, to cybersecurity best practices for the safety of modern vehicles and mobility services.

This approach is supported by a cloud-native architecture designed to ensure business continuity. The platform relies on critical components distributed redundantly across separate geographical areas, automatic failover mechanisms and regularly tested disaster recovery procedures. In the event of an anomaly, the objective is to minimize downtime and maintain service continuity.

Targa Telematics built its infrastructure with redundancy as a core design principle, with two redundant data centers located in the EU. This configuration allows operations to move to an alternative site if an issue affects one of the environments, strengthening the resilience of the infrastructure.

Service Level Agreements are another important part of this approach. The platform provides clear and measurable SLAs aligned with customers' operational requirements and with the need to ensure reliable service in environments where continuity is essential.

Another key element is the use of cloud providers that meet high security standards, implement multi-layer controls, operate redundant critical systems, follow processes certified to ISO 22301 and ISO 27001, and provide uptime levels above 99.999%. The selection of Equinix reflects this approach: strengthening the infrastructure, continuing to guarantee high security standards and addressing criteria related to the environmental management of data centers.

The security of a telematics platform does not end with infrastructure design. It requires continuous monitoring and the ability to respond promptly.

Targa Telematics therefore uses a Security Operations Center (SOC) that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Its purpose is to monitor the network, devices and platform in real time for potential anomalies. This makes it possible to identify risk signals, initiate investigations and respond rapidly to an incident.

The SOC service is enhanced by next-generation Security Orchestration, Automation and Response (SOAR) systems integrated with artificial intelligence. These tools correlate events from different sources, including devices, networks and applications, to build a comprehensive view of the security environment. This allows analysts to focus on high-value decisions, while automated systems help process the large volume of data generated by the infrastructure.

The response process is governed by regularly tested and updated incident response procedures. These define roles, responsibilities and communication flows, both internally and towards customers and, where required by law, the relevant authorities.

This is particularly important under the NIS2 framework, which requires significant incidents to be reported to Italy's National Cybersecurity Agency within 24 hours. Targa Telematics is subject to the NIS legislation implemented in Italy and was confirmed as an essential entity in 2026. This entails compliance with specific technical requirements established by the relevant authority, adding a further level of responsibility alongside the certifications already obtained.

Information security is based on three fundamental principles: confidentiality, integrity and availability.

Confidentiality protects information against unauthorized access. Integrity ensures that data is not altered or compromised. Availability ensures that information and services can be accessed whenever they are needed.

Within a telematics platform, these three principles have a direct impact on business:

• Protecting data with latest and uptodate technologies reduces the risk of a data breach.
• Preserving data integrity keeps the information supporting processes, decisions and services reliable.
• Ensuring availability allows customers to continue operating without interruption.

The broader debate around connected car cybersecurity cannot be limited to the protection of the individual vehicle. One of the most significant risks for companies is losing access to the information and functionality required to deliver their services.

For companies managing cybersecurity in fleet operations and other connected mobility services, the priority is not only preventing information from falling into the wrong hands. It is also ensuring that an attack or anomaly does not prevent them from locating a stolen vehicle, reconstructing an event, managing a fleet, unlocking a car-sharing vehicle or responding promptly to a theft. Cybersecurity is therefore a key differentiator when choosing a telematics provider. It concerns not only platform protection, but also the ability to ensure continuity, reliability and control wherever data is central to operations.

As digital mobility services become increasingly integrated into business processes, choosing a provider with a structured cybersecurity approach means selecting a platform designed to protect information, support service continuity and help companies manage risk.