Need Based Controller Area Network Bus Authentication

A method comprising:

• receiving, with a control module, a communication packet from a communication node that includes at least one of a vehicle sensor and a vehicle system via a controller area network bus;
• determining, with the control module, whether the communication packet from the communication node indicates that the at least one of the vehicle sensor and the vehicle system associated with the communication node is operating outside of a predetermined acceptable operating range;
• sending, with the control module, an authentication message to the communication node via the controller area network bus in response to the communication packet indicating that the at least one of the vehicle sensor and the vehicle system is operating outside of the predetermined acceptable operating range;
• determining, with the control module, whether a valid authentication code is received from the communication node in response to the authentication message;
• and
• performing, with the control module, a remedial action for the communication node in response to the valid authentication code not being received from the communication node.