Skip to main content

Security report for acea.be

European Automobile Manufacturers' Association · Transportation · Belgium

High risk. 8 critical or high findings in Network security, Security headers and 2 other checks.

Security score

49/100

Risk levelHigh

0–100, higher is better. How it is calculated

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) is a prominent industry association representing Europe's major car, truck, van, and bus manufacturers. The website serves as a comprehensive platform for industry news, data, publications, and advocacy efforts focused on advancing sustainable and innovative mobility solutions in Europe. ACEA positions itself as the authoritative voice of the EU automotive sector, emphasizing zero-emission transport and technological progress. The site is professionally designed, mobile-optimized, and rich in relevant content for stakeholders and the public. Technically, the website is built on WordPress with modern plugins and frameworks such as Yoast SEO, Bootstrap, and jQuery. It leverages external services for analytics (Google Analytics, Tag Manager) and marketing (MailPoet, AddEvent). Hosting appears to be provided by SiteGround, ensuring good performance and reliability. The site implements GDPR-compliant privacy and cookie policies with explicit consent mechanisms, reflecting a mature approach to privacy compliance. From a security perspective, the site uses HTTPS with strong SSL configuration and employs cookie consent tools. While explicit security headers are not fully visible in the HTML, no critical vulnerabilities or exposed sensitive data were detected. The absence of a published security policy or incident response contact is noted as an area for improvement. Overall, the security posture is solid but could benefit from enhanced header implementation and vulnerability disclosure mechanisms. The domain WHOIS data aligns well with the website's claims, showing consistent registrant information and domain age appropriate for an established industry association. No suspicious patterns were found, supporting the site's legitimacy and trustworthiness. The website's content is safe for general audiences, with no adult or questionable material present. Overall, ACEA's website demonstrates a high level of professionalism, technical maturity, and compliance, making it a reliable resource for automotive industry stakeholders and the public.

Scanned

NIS2 and GDPR posture

GDPR outside view
85/ 100 · Low
Checks completed
7of 7

NIS2 Art. 21(2)

  1. (a) Risk analysis and security policies: Not visible from outside
  2. (b) Incident handling: One indicator
  3. (c) Business continuity, backups and crisis management: Not visible from outside
  4. (d) Supply chain security: Not visible from outside
  5. (e) Secure acquisition, development and maintenance, including vulnerability handling: Partly checked
  6. (f) Assessing the effectiveness of security measures: Not visible from outside
  7. (g) Cyber hygiene and security training: Not visible from outside
  8. (h) Cryptography and encryption: Partly checked
  9. (i) HR security, access control and asset management: One indicator
  10. (j) Multi-factor authentication and secured communications: Not visible from outside

This scan rated NIS2 with an earlier keyword method that is no longer shown; rescan for the per-article view. Risk management, continuity, supply chain, training, MFA, management oversight (Art. 20) and incident reporting (Art. 23) need internal evidence, and Guard cannot tell whether NIS2 applies to this organisation.

GDPR is indicative only, based on publicly visible signals: Articles 7, 12, 13 and 32 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 and Article 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. Not a certification or legal assessment.

Priority findings

8 findings rated critical or high. Fix these first.

  1. Network security

    Services reachable from the internet are the first thing attackers probe. Anything open that does not need to be should be closed.

    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: MySQL

      Port 3306 (MySQL) is publicly accessible - MySQL - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to MySQL using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection
    • Critical

      Critical Service Exposed: PostgreSQL

      Port 5432 (PostgreSQL) is publicly accessible - PostgreSQL - Database server

      What to do: Immediately restrict access to PostgreSQL using firewall or VPN

      • NIS2 21(2)(e)
      • IR 2024/2690 6.7.2(f): Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690, Annex point 6.7.2(f): Network security
      • NIST CM-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 CM-7: Least Functionality
      • NIST SC-7: NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5 SC-7: Boundary Protection

  2. Security headers

    Security headers are instructions your web server sends to every visitor’s browser. Missing ones leave visitors more exposed to attacks such as clickjacking and injected scripts.

    • High

      Missing Strict-Transport-Security header

      Forces HTTPS connections

      What to do: Add "Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload"

      • CWE-319
      • OWASP A04:2025
      • ASVS V3.4.1
    • High

      Missing X-Frame-Options header

      Prevents clickjacking attacks

      What to do: Add "X-Frame-Options: DENY" or "X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN"

    • High

      Missing Content-Security-Policy header

      Controls resources the browser is allowed to load

      What to do: Implement a Content-Security-Policy appropriate for your application

      • ASVS V3.4.3
      • OWASP Secure Headers: OWASP Secure Headers Project recommends Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; form-action 'self'; base-uri 'self'; object-src 'none';…

Need hands-on remediation? Email guard@offseq.com

Keep watching acea.be

This scan found 24 issues across 6 checks. Monitoring re-runs those checks daily, emails you when something material changes and records each fix, so you can show progress.

Daily monitoring

Recommended

€25per month

  • TLS certificates and expiry
  • DNS records
  • SPF, DKIM and DMARC
  • Security headers
  • GDPR and NIS2 posture
  • Exposed services
  • Third-party trackers
  • Security score drift

Email alerts on material changes and an exportable JSON history of every change.

Billed monthly to your card. Cancel anytime. The full timeline opens with your unlock code.

Full report

€39.90one-time

  • The complete analysis as a PDF you can cite
  • Email delivery with an unlock code
  • Lifetime access to this report

Prices incl. 21% VAT. Secure checkout by Mollie; sold by SEQ SIA, Latvia.

Results by check

Each check with its score, findings and the evidence it collected.

How this score is calculated

The security score runs 0–100, higher is better. It is the plain average of the security checks that completed in this scan, each counted equally. A check that could not run is left out: it counts neither as a pass nor as a fail.

Counted in this score

SSL/TLS
62
Security headers
15
Email security
85
DNS health
80
Network security
0
GDPR outside view
85
Average
55
After the cap
49

Not counted

  • NIS2 outside view: Re-weights evidence from the TLS, email, DNS, network and hygiene checks, so counting it would count that evidence twice. Shown on its own.
  • OffSeq Observations: An AI reading of the site, useful context but not reproducible evidence. Shown on its own.

Findings that cap the score at 49

Each of these is serious on its own, so while any is present the site cannot rate better than high risk, however good the other checks are.

  • The certificate is not trusted by browsers
  • The website is not served over HTTPS
  • A database, remote desktop, file-sharing or Telnet service is reachable from the internet · found on this site
  • The page loads a script from a compromised source
  • The domain registration has expired
  • SPF authorises every server to send mail as the domain

Partial scans

When the site blocks Guard or most checks cannot run, the score covers only the checks that ran (usually DNS and email), is capped at 75 and is shown as partial, without a risk level.

Risk levels

  • Critical0–25
  • High26–49
  • Medium50–75
  • Low76–100

Technical appendix

Business context, site observations and technical notes gathered during the scan, and the standards behind each reference.

Business context

Business profile

ACEA holds a leading position as the voice of the European automotive manufacturing industry, representing 16 major vehicle makers. Its business model centers on advocacy, data dissemination, and industry collaboration to influence EU policy and support sustainable mobility transformation. The association targets policymakers, industry partners, media, and the general public interested in automotive developments. Revenue streams likely include membership fees and event sponsorships. The website reflects a strong partnership ecosystem, including national automotive associations and EU institutions. Growth indicators include active publication of reports, events, and digital engagement via social media. Strategic observations highlight ACEA's role in shaping regulatory frameworks and promoting innovation in the automotive sector.

Security posture

The website exhibits a mature security posture with mandatory HTTPS encryption and cookie consent mechanisms aligned with GDPR requirements. No exposed credentials or sensitive data were found in the HTML content. The use of reputable plugins and external services is evident, though the site could enhance security by implementing comprehensive HTTP security headers such as Content-Security-Policy and X-Frame-Options. The absence of a public security policy or incident response contact limits transparency in handling security incidents. No vulnerability disclosure program or security.txt file is present, which could improve trust and responsiveness. Overall, the site maintains good security hygiene but has room for improvement in formal security communication and advanced header configurations.

Recommendations

  1. Implement and enforce HTTP security headers including Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options, and X-Content-Type-Options to mitigate common web attacks.
  2. Publish a dedicated security policy page outlining security practices and incident response procedures to enhance transparency and trust.
  3. Establish a vulnerability disclosure program or security.txt file to facilitate responsible reporting of security issues.
  4. Regularly audit and update all WordPress plugins and themes to minimize risks from outdated components.
  5. Enhance monitoring and control of third-party scripts to reduce potential attack surface and privacy risks.
Site observations

Automated reading of the public site. Ratings are indicative.

Business

Company
European Automobile Manufacturers' Association
Description
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) unites Europe’s 16 major car, truck, van and bus makers. ACEA is the voice of the EU auto industry, focusing on mobility transformation towards zero-emission and zero-fatality transport, addressing technology shifts and mobility needs in Europe.
Key services
Industry advocacy, Data and statistics provision, Publications and reports, Events and press releases, Policy engagement
Content quality
excellent
Branding
consistent

Technology

Stack
WordPress 6.8.1, Yoast SEO Premium, jQuery, Slick Carousel, AddEvent, MailPoet, Cookie Law Info plugin, Select2, Daterangepicker
Frameworks
Bootstrap (navbar classes suggest usage)
Platforms
WordPress CMS
Performance
fast
Mobile
excellent
Accessibility
good
SEO
excellent

Security

Observed score
85/100
Good practices seen
  • HTTPS enforced
  • Cookie consent mechanism implemented
  • No exposed sensitive data in HTML
  • Use of security plugins (Cookie Law Info)

Analytics and tracking

Services
Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager
Tracking level
moderate
Privacy practices
good

Advertising

Ad networks
Google DoubleClick
Marketing tools
AddEvent, MailPoet
Transparency
good

Site quality

Design
excellent
User experience
excellent
Content relevance
excellent
Navigation
excellent
Professionalism
excellent
Trustworthiness
high

Key observations

  1. Website is professionally designed and well maintained.
  2. Strong focus on EU automotive industry advocacy and data.
  3. Comprehensive privacy and cookie policies with consent mechanisms.
  4. No visible security or content blocking issues.
  5. Use of modern web technologies and SEO best practices.
  6. Active social media presence on Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
  7. No exposed sensitive information or suspicious links.
Technical notes

Notes

The website is built on a modern WordPress CMS platform, utilizing a combination of popular plugins such as Yoast SEO for search engine optimization, MailPoet for email marketing, and Cookie Law Info for GDPR compliance. The front-end leverages Bootstrap for responsive design and jQuery for interactivity, supplemented by Slick Carousel for content sliders. Hosting is provided by SiteGround, known for reliable and performant infrastructure. The site demonstrates fast loading times and excellent mobile optimization. SEO is well implemented with proper meta tags, Open Graph data, and structured navigation. Accessibility features are present but could be further enhanced. Overall, the technical infrastructure is robust, scalable, and aligned with current web standards.
Standards and sources

Reference chips under each finding point to the standard, regulation or specification the finding relates to. They are taken from the official datasets below and mapped conservatively: a finding with no defensible link shows none. NIS2 and GDPR references mark where a finding is relevant evidence, not a compliance verdict. Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2690 binds digital infrastructure and digital service providers; for other entities it is the most detailed public reading of the Article 21 measures. WCAG, EN 301 549, European Accessibility Act and Web Accessibility Directive references name the requirement an automated accessibility rule relates to; they are not a conformance verdict.

Retrieved 2026-10-25

Reviews of this site

Share your experience with acea.be. Every review is verified by email and published after moderation.

Overall rating
Select a rating
4000 characters remaining

We’ll email you to confirm your review and keep your details private.

Community rating

No published reviews yet. Be the first to review acea.be.

Feedback on this report

Rate this report, add an optional comment, and tell us if you want a security specialist to follow up.

Overall report quality
Select a rating
2000 characters remaining

We only use your feedback to improve Guard reports. Contact details are never shared.