Secure Boot Controller for Automotive Processors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles face challenges in securely booting processors to ensure the execution of authentic and authorized software, as existing methods lack robustness in verifying digital signatures and managing updates across a fleet of vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A secure boot process is implemented where a controller in the vehicle requests and verifies boot files from a network server using digital signatures and class authentication keys, ensuring only authorized software is executed, and updates are managed through a centralized server to prevent rollback attacks and ensure consistency across the fleet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital signature verification using class authentication keys is implemented, then software authenticity is ensured, but processing time and computational complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-computing and storing digital signatures of boot files in a secure database before deployment. During the boot process, the processor retrieves pre-stored signatures and compares them with received boot files, avoiding time-consuming real-time signature generation and verification computations, thus reducing boot time while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary secure database that stores pre-verified digital signatures and boot files. This intermediary component acts as a mediator between the secure element and the processor, caching authentication data to reduce the computational burden and time required for verification during the boot process
2Stability of the object's composition
If centralized server management for boot file updates is implemented, then fleet consistency is improved, but network dependency and communication overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the centralized server pre-package boot files with their digital signatures and version information into update bundles before transmission. The server performs preliminary validation and preparation of update packages, reducing the complexity of real-time verification and update management during fleet deployment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating and distributing identical signed boot file copies to multiple vehicles through the centralized server. The same authenticated boot file version is copied and deployed across the fleet, ensuring consistency while simplifying update management through centralized replication rather than individual customization
3Reliability
If blacklisting mechanism is implemented to prevent rollback attacks, then security is enhanced, but verification process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-generating and storing blacklists of compromised or invalid boot file hashes in the secure database before deployment. During verification, the system checks against pre-prepared blacklist data rather than performing complex real-time analysis of rollback vulnerabilities, simplifying the verification process while maintaining security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses disposable short-living authentication objects by implementing single-use session tokens and temporary verification keys that are valid for only one boot cycle. These disposable credentials are generated, used once for verification, and then discarded, preventing replay attacks and rollback exploits without requiring complex long-term key management
Data Source
AI summary
Among other things, techniques for securely booting processors in a vehicle are described. An apparatus comprises a circuit coupled to one or more processors of a vehicle and managing a secure boot process for the processors. The circuit receives an indication that the vehicle has been powered on and sends, to a network server, a request for boot files for the processors of the vehicle. In response, the circuit receives, from the server, most recent versions of boot files respectively corresponding to the processors, wherein each boot file includes a digital signature of a trusted authority. In response to obtaining the most recent versions of the boot files, the circuit sequentially boots the processors using the respective boot files, wherein each processor executes a corresponding boot file upon verifying authenticity of the digital signature in the boot file using a corresponding class authentication key.