ECU Packet Analysis for Return-Oriented Programming Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting against return-oriented programming (ROP) attacks are inadequate, especially when the binary cannot be modified due to safety or warranty concerns, and existing systems require separate protection for each electronic control unit (ECU).
Innovation Solution
A system and method for ROP attack protection that analyzes data destined for ECUs, identifies control flow instructions, generates a statistical analysis of these instructions, and detects ROP attacks by comparing the number of instructions within a window or chain to predetermined values, using unique models for each ECU to verify packets without requiring separate protection for each ECU.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If address space layout randomization (ASLR) is used to protect against ROP attacks, then security against ROP attacks is improved, but the binary cannot be modified due to safety or warranty concerns
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes a database of valid gadget addresses and control flow instructions in the binary before runtime. This preliminary analysis creates a reference model that enables detection of ROP attacks without requiring modification of the binary itself, thus resolving the contradiction between security protection and binary immutability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection layer that sits between the incoming data and the ECU. This intermediary analyzes control flow instructions in incoming data against the pre-established gadget database, enabling security verification without modifying the original binary or requiring direct access to it for protection purposes
2Reliability
If separate protection systems are implemented for each ECU, then security coverage is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal protection mechanism that can protect multiple ECUs through a single centralized system. The detection system analyzes incoming data destined for any ECU in the network using a common gadget database and detection logic, providing multi-functional security coverage without requiring separate protection instances for each ECU
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the protection functionality into a centralized data analysis point that handles security verification for multiple ECUs simultaneously. By combining the detection logic and gadget database into a shared resource, the system achieves comprehensive security coverage while reducing overall system complexity compared to distributed per-ECU protection
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 1E
AI summary
An ROP attack protection method for a plurality of ECUs, the method constituted of: receiving data destined for one of the plurality of ECUs; determining which of the plurality of ECUs the received data is destined for; responsive to a unique model associated with the determined ECU, analyzing the received data to identify control flow instructions addressed to one or more predetermined addresses; responsive to the analyzation, generate a statistical analysis of the identified control flow instructions; and responsive to the generated statistical analysis, outputting a signal indicating a possibility of an attack.