Method and apparatus for non-linear authentication of vehicle communications

A method of authenticating communications from a vehicle to a remote assistance unit, the method comprising:

• installing a connectivity module (CM) in the vehicle;
• configuring a security device to transmit messages when the security device is within a predefined proximity of the CM;
• generating a first pair of complementary keys, including a first factory key stored by the security device and a second factory key stored by a security cloud unit, the first pair being configured for asymmetric encryption such that the first factory key is solely decryptable with the second factory key;
• validating the security device via the security cloud unit, based in part on the first pair of complementary keys;
• and
• authenticating an integrity of the CM via the remote assistance unit based in part on a second pair of complementary keys dynamically generated by the security cloud unit.

A system for authenticating communications from a vehicle to a remote assistance unit, the system comprising:

• a connectivity module (CM) installed in the vehicle;
• a security device adapted to transmit messages when the security device is within a predefined proximity of the CM;
• a security cloud unit configured to validate the security device based in part on a first pair of complementary keys, including a first factory key stored by the security device and a second factory key stored by the security cloud unit;
• wherein the first pair of complementary keys is configured for asymmetric encryption such that the first factory key is solely decryptable with the second factory key;
• wherein the remote assistance unit is configured to authenticate an integrity of the CM based in part on a second pair of complementary keys, the second pair being dynamically generated by the security cloud unit with a predefined expiration time;
• wherein the CM is adapted to submit a data request to the remote assistance unit, the data request being accepted when the integrity of the CM is successfully authenticated;
• and
• wherein the data request to the remote assistance unit from the CM incorporates password salting recognizable by a user of the vehicle.