Control Device Key Generation for Post-Installation Vehicle Certificates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for securely equipping vehicles with individual certificates face challenges as the vehicle identity is unknown at the time of control device manufacture, and transmitting vehicle-individual keys over insecure connections risks unauthorized access and improper issuance.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a control device certification authority and vehicle certification authority using asymmetric key pairs ensures secure generation and storage of device and vehicle-individual keys within the control device, with certificates issued only after vehicle installation, ensuring the private key never leaves the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If vehicle-individual keys are transmitted over insecure connections during certificate issuance, then certificate issuance can be completed, but security is compromised and unauthorized access becomes possible
Solution Approach 1:
The control device generates its own key pair before certificate issuance, and the private key is pre-stored in a secure element within the control device. This preliminary action eliminates the need to transmit the private key over insecure connections during the certificate issuance process, maintaining security while enabling efficient certificate deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
A certification authority acts as an intermediary that verifies the vehicle identity and issues the certificate without needing to handle or transmit the private key. The CA signs the public key and vehicle identity information, creating a certificate that binds the identity to the public key without exposing the private key during transmission.
2Ease of manufacture
If certificates are issued before vehicle installation, then the process can be simplified, but the vehicle identity is unknown and improper issuance may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The control device prepares all necessary cryptographic materials (key pair generation, secure storage of private key, creation of certificate signing requests) before vehicle installation. The preliminary action includes preparing the device for certificate issuance but delays the actual certificate issuance until vehicle identity is known, ensuring accurate binding while maintaining process efficiency.
3Ease of operation
If the private key is stored outside the control device, then access and management becomes easier, but the private key is vulnerable to unauthorized access and compromise
Solution Approach 1:
The certificate acts as an intermediary that enables key management operations without requiring direct access to the private key. All cryptographic operations use the public key or certificate information, allowing easy management and verification while the private key remains securely isolated in the control device's secure element.
Data Source
AI summary
A method involves a vehicle certification authority and a control device certification authority having a respective infrastructure for public keys based on an asymmetric pain of is established. The respective private key remains in the certification authority and the public key is distributed to the participants. The control device has initial cryptographic material by a control device-individual pair of keys being generated for the control device and the identity of the control device and its public key are transmitted to the control device certification authority, after which a control device-individual certificate is generated there for the transmitted data using the private key of the control device certification authority and transmitted back to the control device. The public key of the vehicle certification authority is stored in a tamper-proof manner in the control device. The vehicle identity belonging to the identity of the control device is determined and stored in a tamper-proof manner.