Firmware Vulnerability

What Are Firmware Vulnerabilities Costing Your Company?

Firmware today is a complex mix of proprietary and third-party code, often delivered as binaries. It’s deeply embedded yet rarely inspected, creating hidden risks that slip past traditional security checks. This poses a major risk for OEMs who are ultimately accountable for product safety, security, and regulatory compliance. With global regulations tightening and authorities conducting independent scans of firmware, companies can no longer rely solely on supplier-provided SBOMs. What’s more, from an insurance standpoint, failure to demonstrate control over the integration process can have financial consequences. In the event of a field failure, insurers may reject claims if the manufacturer cannot prove that due diligence was performed to identify and reduce risk. Simply accepting a vague SBOM from a sub-supplier is no longer enough. Proactive firmware vulnerability management enables early detection of risks, enforces supplier accountability, and ensures a secure foundation for product release.

Benefits of Firmware Vulnerability Management Programs

Firmware vulnerability detection strategies reduce attack surfaces, secure supply chains, and ensure software integrity in complex connected systems where a single flaw can impact millions of devices.

Prevent Regulatory Delays During Homologation

Early firmware risk detection helps OEMs find and fix issues before regulators do, avoiding delays in certification, homologation, and product launch.

Expose Gaps in Supplier SBOMs

Incomplete SBOMs from suppliers create blind spots. The solution scans reveal hidden components, helping you verify accuracy and hold suppliers accountable before firmware integration.

Reduce Costly Rework & Post-Release Vulnerability Patching

Streamline Multi-Supplier Firmware Integration for Complex ECUs

Modern ECUs involve many software suppliers, making risk tracking complex. Automated scans simplify integration, catch version issues, and ensure clean, audit-ready firmware release.

Why diconium?

With Diconium, you get more than a scan. You get a solution designed by practitioners who understand how hackers think, how regulators operate, and what automotive-grade security truly requires.

As a 100% Volkswagen Group company, we understand the real-world challenges of global automotive software, from supplier diversity to homologation deadlines. Our tool is developed by teams that combine strong software engineering with deep penetration testing expertise.

Our Approach to Firmware Vulnerability Management

We offer OEMs and suppliers a complete firmware vulnerability analysis program designed for complex software environments. After collecting your firmware and technical details, we perform structured testing using advanced tools to build a detailed Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). Each SBOM entry is thoroughly scanned for vulnerabilities using global and vendor databases. Our penetration testers then assess identified risks, examine potential attack vectors, and determine real-world impacts. You receive clear and actionable deliverables: final SBOMs, risk and vulnerability reports. Throughout the process, expert testers ensure reliable insights and robust results.

FAQ

When is a firmware considered vulnerable?

For a firmware to be considered vulnerable, it should contain known CVEs, misconfigurations, outdated versions, or insecure integrations. Even renamed or bundled components can be flagged for vulnerabilities if they do not get recognized in open-source or vendor-specific databases.

How is your solution different from standard vulnerability scanners?

Most scanners depend on supplier-provided SBOMs. We go deeper by scanning the actual firmware image and identifying mismatches, bundled software, or hidden components. Our tool is backed by real-world pen testing and deep automotive expertise.

Is this only relevant to automotive companies?

While our expertise is rooted in automotive, the solution applies to any embedded system or connected product. If you're integrating third-party firmware, our vulnerability management program helps you secure it, regardless of industry.