Firewall Rule Generation from Vehicle Communication Data

The patent introduces a firewall device as an intermediary component between the third-party devices and the vehicle's communication network. This firewall acts as a mediator that filters and controls data packets, allowing legitimate communications while blocking malicious content. The firewall device is integrated into the communication node and enforces security policies without preventing authorized third-party connections, thus resolving the contradiction between communication versatility and security vulnerability.

The system performs preliminary security assessments and establishes firewall rules before third-party devices gain full access to the network. The control unit evaluates communication requests, validates device identities, and pre-configures firewall policies to prevent potential malware introduction. This preliminary action ensures that only authenticated and authorized devices can communicate on the network, maintaining security while allowing versatile third-party connectivity.

The firewall device automatically generates and configures firewall rules based on communication relationships within the network. The system monitors data traffic patterns, identifies legitimate communication channels between control units and functional units, and autonomously creates corresponding firewall policies. This self-service capability eliminates the need for manual rule configuration, reducing complexity while maintaining reliable security control through adaptive, context-aware firewall policies.

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the firewall device continuously monitors network traffic, evaluates the effectiveness of existing rules, and automatically adjusts firewall policies based on observed communication patterns and security threats. The control unit receives feedback from the firewall about blocked or allowed communications and refines rule sets accordingly. This closed-loop feedback system maintains high security control while minimizing manual configuration complexity through adaptive automation.

The firewall device implements differentiated security filtering based on local characteristics of communication relationships. Instead of applying uniform blocking rules to all traffic, the system analyzes specific communication patterns between different control units and functional units, and applies tailored firewall policies to each relationship. Authorized communication channels receive permissive rules for efficient data transfer, while potential threat vectors receive stricter filtering. This local quality approach maintains high security while preserving communication efficiency for legitimate traffic.

The system applies partial filtering actions rather than comprehensive blocking to all communications. The firewall device implements selective filtering that focuses resources on evaluating only the necessary security parameters for each data packet based on its source, destination, and content type. For established trusted communication channels, the firewall performs minimal validation to maintain efficiency, while applying more rigorous checks only to suspicious or unverified traffic patterns. This partial action strategy achieves adequate security without the performance penalty of exhaustive filtering.