Vehicle HSM Key Provisioning With Obfuscated Firmware Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle built-in systems face increased manufacturing complexity and cost due to the need for pre-injection of security keys during production, which compromises security as developers can extract keys through reverse analysis.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle control device and method that uses a hardware security module (HSM) to determine operating modes, allowing obfuscated security keys to be used during development and switched to de-obfuscated keys during production, ensuring secure key provisioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-injection of security key is performed during production, then manufacturing process becomes complex and cost increases, but security key safety is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the security key provisioning process into distinct phases: development phase using test keys and production phase using obfuscated real keys. This segmentation allows different security requirements to be met in different phases without complicating the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-obfuscating security keys before injection into HSM firmware during production. The obfuscation is performed in advance using obfuscation keys, ensuring that even if developers access the firmware, they cannot extract the plain text security keys.
2Ease of manufacture
If unencrypted security key is injected into HSM firmware, then development process is simplified, but security vulnerability increases allowing key extraction through reverse analysis
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating the security key handling between development and production environments. During development, unencrypted test keys are used for simplicity. During production, obfuscated keys are used to prevent extraction. This localized differentiation allows each phase to have optimal characteristics for its specific requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces obfuscation as an intermediary layer between the security key and the HSM firmware. The obfuscation key acts as a mediator that transforms the plain text key into an encrypted form, preventing direct access while maintaining functionality. This intermediary mechanism resolves the contradiction between simplicity and security.
3Reliability
If security key provisioning is performed during production stage, then key management is centralized, but production time increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing security key obfuscation before the production injection process. The obfuscation is completed in advance, and the resulting obfuscated keys are directly injected into the HSM firmware during production, eliminating the need for time-consuming provisioning processes during manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the security key provisioning process from the main production workflow by using pre-obfuscated keys. The complex key generation and obfuscation operations are extracted and performed beforehand, leaving only the simple injection step during production, thereby improving manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for provisioning a security key for vehicle control includes at least one processor and a hardware security module (HSM) including at least one memory storing at least one program executable by the at least one processor. The at least one processor may be configured to determine an operating mode of an HSM operating firmware stored in the memory and selectively use an obfuscated security key included in the HSM operating firmware based on the operating mode of the HSM operating firmware.