Vehicle Authentication via Server-Managed Secret Key Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle authentication systems are vulnerable to security threats due to the use of unencrypted authentication keys, and they lack the ability to easily authorize sharers to drive vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle authentication system that encrypts a secret key using unique information from both the vehicle controller and user terminal, allowing decryption only on the user's terminal, and includes a shared password mechanism for easy authorization of sharers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If authentication keys are stored in both vehicle and smartphone for comparison-based authentication, then user authentication can be performed, but security is vulnerable to theft
Solution Approach 1:
The secret key is extracted from the vehicle controller and stored only in the security server. The vehicle controller retains only public key information, while the secret key is completely removed from the vehicle side. This extraction eliminates the security vulnerability of storing secret keys in both vehicle and smartphone, as the secret key now exists only in the secure environment of the security server.
Solution Approach 2:
The security server acts as an intermediary between the vehicle controller and user terminal. It generates and manages the secret key, encrypts it with the user's public key, and facilitates the key exchange. This intermediary role ensures that the secret key never resides in the vehicle controller, thereby preventing theft while maintaining authentication functionality.
2Reliability
If secret key is encrypted and stored only in security server, then authentication security is enhanced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle controller independently generates authentication data using only public key information and random numbers, without needing to access or store the secret key. The security server automatically encrypts the secret key with the user's public key and transmits it directly to the user terminal. This self-service mechanism reduces system complexity by eliminating manual key management while maintaining high security.
3Ease of operation
If traditional authentication keys are used, then user authentication can be performed, but authorization of sharers is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The public key infrastructure enables multiple user terminals to be authorized with the same public key information. The security server can encrypt the secret key with different public keys corresponding to different users (owner and sharers), allowing universal access authorization while maintaining a single secret key in the security server. This resolves the contradiction by enabling easy sharer authorization without compromising security.
Data Source
AI summary
A security-enhanced vehicle authentication system enables user authentication only through a device previously registered in a security server. The vehicle authentication system includes: a vehicle controller configured to be installed in a vehicle and to determine whether to allow the vehicle to be driven through user authentication; a user terminal configured to generate authentication data related to the user authentication and to transmit the authentication data to the vehicle controller; and a security server configured to generate a secret key and an encryption key for generating the authentication data. The security server may generate the secret key and the encryption key using unique information of at least any one of the vehicle controller or the user terminal.