Autonomous Vehicle Secure Boot With Backend Key Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
As vehicle manufacturers integrate network and computing resources into automobiles, the risk of malicious third-party access to autonomous vehicle (AV) systems increases, potentially leading to unauthorized control and data breaches, which existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A secure start system for autonomous vehicles is implemented, utilizing a switching module, communications router, and encrypted drives to ensure only authorized access, involving a decryption process initiated by a boot-loader with authentication resources, and a backend system to verify credentials and provide decryption keys, establishing secure communication sessions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If network and computing resources are integrated into autonomous vehicle systems, then system functionality and automation capability are improved, but vulnerability to malicious third-party access and unauthorized control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the computing resources into separate encrypted drives (e.g., first drive, second drive, third drive) that can be independently secured and managed. Each drive contains specific autonomous drive functions or data, allowing selective decryption and access control without exposing the entire system to potential attacks.
Solution Approach 2:
A decryption key management system acts as an intermediary between the authentication authority and the encrypted drives. The backend system verifies credentials and provides decryption keys only to authorized users, preventing direct access to the computing resources and blocking malicious third-party attempts to control the autonomous vehicle functions.
2Reliability
If encrypted drives and authentication systems are implemented, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but system complexity and decryption process requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The backend system serves multiple functions: it stores authentication credentials, verifies user credentials, manages decryption key distribution, and maintains security policies. This multi-functional approach consolidates security management into a single centralized system rather than distributing complex security logic across multiple components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-encrypts the drives containing autonomous drive functions and stores decryption keys securely in the backend system before any access attempts occur. Authentication credentials are pre-configured and verified before granting access, ensuring that security measures are already in place before potential threats arise.
3Reliability
If multiple encrypted drives are used to store autonomous drive functions, then security and access control are improved, but startup time and authentication process duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs credential verification and decryption key retrieval in advance during the authentication process. Once a user is authenticated, the necessary decryption keys are immediately provided to decrypt the required drives, avoiding delays during actual autonomous drive function execution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system decrypts only the specific drives and functions needed for the current autonomous drive operation rather than decrypting all encrypted drives. This selective decryption approach reduces the time and computational resources required while maintaining security for non-accessed functions.
Data Source
AI summary
A secure start system for an autonomous vehicle can include a communications router comprising an input interface to receive a boot-loader to enable network communications with a backend system. The secure start system utilizes a tunnel key from the backend system to establish a private communications session with a backend data vault. The secure start system then retrieves a set of decryption keys from the backend data vault, via the private communications session, to decrypt a plurality of encrypted drives of the autonomous vehicle, which enables one or more functions of the autonomous vehicle.