Telematic Control Unit Authentication via Challenge-Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication methods for telematic control units in industrial machines, such as those used in vehicles, are vulnerable to manipulation and rely on public land mobile network protocols, which compromise security and manageability.
Innovation Solution
A method that utilizes a unique hardware identifier associated with the telematic control unit, stored in an identity module, to generate an authentication token through a challenge-response process decoupled from public land mobile network protocols, ensuring secure authentication between the telematic control unit and the core server system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If public land mobile network protocols are used for authentication, then ease of operation is improved, but security deteriorates due to manipulation vulnerabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a challenge-response mechanism as an intermediary between the authentication request and the public land mobile network protocol. The core server system generates a challenge code, the telematic control unit responds with a cryptographic response, and only then is the PLMN protocol engaged. This intermediary layer prevents direct manipulation of the PLMN authentication while maintaining its ease of operation for legitimate devices.
2Reliability
If secure element like SIM is used for storing authentication keys, then security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the critical authentication function from the complex secure element (SIM card) and implements it in software within the telematic control unit's existing memory and processing capabilities. The challenge-response mechanism with stored secret keys achieves equivalent security without requiring additional hardware secure elements, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining authentication security.
3Reliability
If authentication is decoupled from public land mobile network protocols, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the challenge-response authentication mechanism with the public land mobile network protocol in a sequential workflow. The challenge-response phase handles security-critical operations first, then seamlessly transitions to the PLMN protocol for standard communication. This combination maintains ease of operation for the overall system while improving security at the critical authentication point.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a scheme for authentication between a telematic control unit (10) for a machine for industrial usage (220), preferably a vehicle, and a core server system (40). The telematic control unit (10) is associated with a hardware identifier and comprises an identity module (14) storing an identifier of the identity module (14) and a secret key which is specific to the identifier. The core server system (40) is connected to a telecommunication server (25) of a public land mobile network, wherein the telecommunication server (25) also has access to the secret key which is specific to the identifier. The inventive authentication scheme preferably relies on an advantageous use of a unique hardware identifier of the telematic control unit.