Assigning categories for messages and symmetric key per category to localize the impact in case of key compromise
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsXin Ye, Venkata Kishore Kajuluri, Lisa Therese Boran, Bradley Smith
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Abstract
Systems and methods described herein provide for assigning classifications to signals and corresponding messages for prioritization and transmission across a vehicle CAN bus. The assigned classifications are used to select authentication keys specific to each classification of message. Nodes of the CAN bus can include different sets of keys based on the classifications of messages handled at the nodes. Keys are distributed and localized to reduce any potential impact on critical functions of the vehicle system that may result from compromise of an authentication key.
Claims18
A vehicle system comprising:
- a first electronic control unit communicatively coupled to one or more electronic control units via a Controller Area Network (CAN) bus of the vehicle system, the first electronic control unit comprising a memory having stored thereon instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
- store a first set of one or more keys in the memory of the first electronic control unit based on one or more classifications associated with signals that the first electronic control unit is configured to send or receive, wherein the first set of one or more keys exclude a second set of one or more keys stored at a memory of a second electronic control unit;
- and wherein the second set of one or more keys is associated with a second classification, and wherein the first electronic control unit is unable to receive or transmit a second message with the second classification;
- assign a classification of a plurality of classifications to a message, wherein the message comprises one or more signals of a plurality of signals, and wherein the classification is assigned based on the one or more signals;
- retrieve, from the memory of the first electronic control unit, a key associated with the classification of the message;
- authenticate the message using the key selected from the first set of one or more keys based on the classification of the message;
- and
- transmit the authenticated message across the CAN bus.
A computer-implemented method, comprising:
- storing a first set of one or more keys in a memory of a first electronic control unit based on one or more classifications associated with signals that the first electronic control unit is configured to send or receive, wherein the first set of one or more keys exclude a second set of one or more keys stored at a memory of a second electronic control unit;
- and wherein the second set of one or more keys is associated with a second classification, and wherein the first electronic control unit is unable to receive or transmit a second message with the second classification;
- assigning a classification of a plurality of classifications to a message for communicating operating information across a vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) bus;
- retrieving, from the memory of the first electronic control unit, a key associated with the classification of the message;
- authenticating the message using the key, the key selected from the first set of one or more keys based on the classification of the message;
- and
- transmitting the authenticated message via the CAN bus.
A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
- store a first set of one or more keys in a memory of a first electronic control unit based on one or more classifications associated with signals that the first electronic control unit is configured to send or receive, wherein the first set of one or more keys exclude a second set of one or more keys stored at a memory of a second electronic control unit;
- and wherein the second set of one or more keys is associated with a second classification, and wherein the first electronic control unit is unable to receive or transmit a second message with the second classification;
- assign a classification of a plurality of classifications to a message for communicating operating information from an electronic control unit (ECU) across a vehicle Controller Area Network (CAN) bus;
- retrieve, from the memory of the first electronic control unit, a key associated with the classification of the message;
- authenticate the message using, the key selected from the first set of one or more keys based on the classification of the message;
- and transmit the authenticated message via the CAN bus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.