Passive Entry Distance Verification Against Relay Attacks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Passive entry-passive start systems are vulnerable to relay attacks, where attackers deceive the vehicle security system by relaying communication signals between a key fob and the vehicle, allowing unauthorized access and ignition.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a software application on nomadic devices and vehicles that uses short-range wireless communication protocols, such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), to measure the round trip time-of-flight of signals and determine the distance between the device and the vehicle, thereby preventing relay attacks by ensuring the owner is within a predetermined proximity for unlocking and starting the vehicle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If passive keyless entry systems use wireless communication for automatic door unlocking, then ease of operation is improved, but vulnerability to relay attacks increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional RF-based passive keyless entry system with a visual light-based authentication system. Instead of relying solely on wireless signal exchange between key fob and vehicle, the system uses visible light communication (VLC) where the vehicle's lights encode authentication data that must be visually detected by the user's mobile device camera. This substitution of communication medium from radio frequency to visible light creates a more secure channel that cannot be relayed traditionally, while maintaining automatic unlocking functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a mobile device with camera and processing capabilities as an intermediary between the key fob and vehicle. The mobile device captures visual signals from the vehicle, decodes authentication information, verifies proximity, and mediates the authentication process. This intermediary layer adds a verification step that prevents relay attacks, as the mobile device must physically be present to capture the visual signal, creating an additional security checkpoint while enabling automatic door unlocking.
2Reliability
If the system requires the user to hold a device for keyless entry, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the active button-pressing action from the keyless entry process. Instead of requiring the user to actively hold and manipulate the key fob or mobile device, the system passively detects the presence of the authorized device through visual signal detection. The authentication trigger is extracted from manual device handling and replaced with automatic detection of the device's proximity via visual communication, eliminating the need for active device manipulation while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service authentication where the vehicle automatically detects and authenticates the user's device without requiring manual intervention. The mobile device automatically captures visual signals, processes authentication data, and communicates with the vehicle system without user action. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for users to actively hold or manipulate devices, as the system autonomously performs authentication based on visual detection, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining security.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively thwarts and detects relay attacks by accurately determining the distance between the nomadic device and the vehicle, preventing unauthorized access and ignition, thus enhancing the security of passive entry-passive start systems.
Implementation Method 1
determining a distance between a vehicle and a nomadic device communicatively coupled to the vehicle based upon a time-of-flight of the short-range wireless communication signal between the nomadic device and the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
Passive entry systems, such as passive entry-passive start vehicle systems, using short-range wireless communication signals to determine a distance between nomadic devices and unlockable devices based on a round trip time of flight (TOF) measurement.