Authentication and Verification of Over-The-Air Updates in Autonomous and Connected Vehicles Using Blockchain - MSc Thesis Proposal by: Zeeman Memon

Tuesday, June 11, 2024 - 11:00

The School of Computer Science is pleased to present...

Authentication and Verification of Over-The-Air Updates in Autonomous and Connected Vehicles Using Blockchain

MSc Thesis Proposal by: Zeeman Memon

 

Date: Tuesday, 11 Jun 2024

Time:  11:00 AM

Location: Memorial Hall, Room MH109

 

Abstract: The rapid advancement of connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology has brought forward the need for frequent and reliable software updates to keep the software systems (i.e., real-time operating system, application software, and firmware) responsible for the functioning of numerous embedded electronic control units (ECUs) within the CAVs up to date. While over-the-air (OTA) updates offer significant benefits such as convenience, cost reduction, and the ability to deploy swift updates to address reported vulnerabilities, they also introduce critical security concerns such as man-in-the-middle attacks, and rogue updates which can have severe implications for both consumers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), especially if the update is targeted towards a safety critical system. Ensuring the integrity and authenticity of these over-the-air updates is vital for maintaining vehicle safety, performance, and compliance with cybersecurity standards and regulations such as ISO/SAE 21434 and UNECE R155/R156. For our research, we propose an architecture leveraging Hyperledger Fabric, a permissioned blockchain technology, to overcome the security challenges involving integrity and authentication of OTA updates for automotive vehicles. By utilizing the security features of permissioned blockchain technology, such as immutability and controlled access, the proposed architecture aims to improve the cybersecurity of automotive OTA updates over traditional methods. Additionally, the effectiveness of the proposed architecture will be evaluated through performance metrics such as latency, computational overhead, and throughput. The outcome of this research is to provide a practical insight into how permissioned blockchain technology can be used to improve the authentication and verification process of automotive over-the-air updates.

 

Keywords: Automotive Cybersecurity, Over-the-Air Updates, Blockchain Technology, Hyperledger Fabric, Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs), Software Integrity and Authentication

 

Thesis Committee:

Internal Reader: Dr. Dan Wu

External Reader: Dr. Balakumar Balasingam

Advisor: Dr. Ikjot Saini

 

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