Server, vehicle, and software management method

A vehicle comprising:

• an electronic control unit (ECU);
• and
• a communication module configured to communicate with a server, wherein:
• the ECU includes
• one or more memories that store software capable of executing a specific function, and
• one or more processors configured to execute the software;
• and
• the one or more processors are configured to
• calculate a hash value from flag data for switching between an activated state and a deactivated state of the specific function and dummy data that are not used to switch between the activated state and the deactivated state of the specific function when the flag data are received from the server, and
• switch between the activated state and the deactivated state of the specific function when it is determined based on the calculated hash value that the flag data have not been tampered with.

A software management method of managing an electronic control unit (ECU) mounted on a vehicle, the software management method comprising:

• calculating a hash value from flag data for switching between an activated state and a deactivated state of a specific function that is executable by software and dummy data that are not used to switch between the activated state and the deactivated state of the specific function;
• preparing an electronic signature using the calculated hash value;
• transmitting the flag data and the electronic signature to the vehicle;
• comparing the hash value calculated from the flag data and the dummy data received by the vehicle and the hash value of the electronic signature received by the vehicle to determine whether the flag data received by the vehicle have been tampered with;
• and
• switching between the activated state and the deactivated state of the specific function on condition that the flag data received by the vehicle have not been tampered with.