Secure ECU Channel for Replay-Protected Software Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automotive electronics systems, particularly electronic control units (ECUs), are vulnerable to replay attacks due to limited memory resources, lack of hardware security modules, and constrained non-volatile memory, which can lead to security vulnerabilities and potential rollback of software versions.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a secure channel between lightweight and central ECUs, utilizing replay protected memory regions in the central ECU to store and manage sensitive software data, and establishing a hierarchy of protocol data units for secure communication, enabling replay attack protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If lightweight ECU is used with limited memory resources, then device complexity and cost are reduced, but security vulnerability increases due to inability to implement replay attack protection
Solution Approach 1:
A secure channel is introduced as an intermediary component between the lightweight ECU and the central ECU. This secure channel provides replay attack protection functionality that the lightweight ECU cannot implement on its own, allowing the lightweight ECU to maintain low complexity while achieving high security through the mediating secure channel infrastructure.
2Reliability
If replay protected memory region is implemented in central ECU, then security against replay attacks is improved, but memory resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the replay attack protection functionality by separating it from the lightweight ECU and placing it in the central ECU. The secure channel exposes a replay protected memory region that resides in the central ECU, allowing the lightweight ECU to access protection capabilities without allocating local memory resources for this purpose.
3Reliability
If secure channel with replay protected memory region is established, then security is improved, but system complexity increases due to additional communication protocols
Solution Approach 1:
The secure channel is designed as a universal communication interface that handles multiple functions including replay attack protection, data transmission, and protocol management. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional secure channel layer, the system achieves high security without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure are directed to replay attack protection. In accordance with one aspect, the disclosure includes establishing a secure channel between a lightweight electronics control unit (ECU) and a central electronics control unit (ECU); sending a read/write sensitive software data request message from the lightweight ECU to the central ECU; reading a first sensitive software data as part of a programming update using a replay protected memory region; writing a second sensitive software data as part of the programming update using the replay protected memory region; and providing the first sensitive software data and the second sensitive software data to the central ECU as part of the programming update.