A Survey and Comparative Analysis of Security Properties of CAN Authentication Protocols

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Lotto, Alessandro, Marchiori, Francesco, Brighente, Alessandro, Conti, Mauro
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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_version_ 1866916452839194624
author Lotto, Alessandro
Marchiori, Francesco
Brighente, Alessandro
Conti, Mauro
author_facet Lotto, Alessandro
Marchiori, Francesco
Brighente, Alessandro
Conti, Mauro
contents The large number of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) mounted on modern cars and their expansive communication capabilities create a substantial attack surface for potential exploitation. Despite the evolution of automotive technology, the continued use of the originally insecure Controller Area Network (CAN) bus leaves in-vehicle communications inherently non-secure. In response to the absence of standardized authentication protocols within the automotive domain, researchers propose diverse solutions, each with unique strengths and vulnerabilities. However, the continuous influx of new protocols and potential oversights in meeting security requirements and essential operational features further complicate the implementability of these protocols. This paper comprehensively reviews and compares the 15 most prominent authentication protocols for the CAN bus. Our analysis emphasizes their strengths and weaknesses, evaluating their alignment with critical security requirements for automotive authentication. Additionally, we evaluate protocols based on essential operational criteria that contribute to ease of implementation in predefined infrastructures, enhancing overall reliability and reducing the probability of successful attacks. Our study reveals a prevalent focus on defending against external attackers in existing protocols, exposing vulnerabilities to internal threats. Notably, authentication protocols employing hash chains, Mixed Message Authentication Codes, and asymmetric encryption techniques emerge as the most effective approaches. Through our comparative study, we classify the considered protocols based on their security attributes and suitability for implementation, providing valuable insights for future developments in the field.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_10736
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Survey and Comparative Analysis of Security Properties of CAN Authentication Protocols
Lotto, Alessandro
Marchiori, Francesco
Brighente, Alessandro
Conti, Mauro
Cryptography and Security
The large number of Electronic Control Units (ECUs) mounted on modern cars and their expansive communication capabilities create a substantial attack surface for potential exploitation. Despite the evolution of automotive technology, the continued use of the originally insecure Controller Area Network (CAN) bus leaves in-vehicle communications inherently non-secure. In response to the absence of standardized authentication protocols within the automotive domain, researchers propose diverse solutions, each with unique strengths and vulnerabilities. However, the continuous influx of new protocols and potential oversights in meeting security requirements and essential operational features further complicate the implementability of these protocols. This paper comprehensively reviews and compares the 15 most prominent authentication protocols for the CAN bus. Our analysis emphasizes their strengths and weaknesses, evaluating their alignment with critical security requirements for automotive authentication. Additionally, we evaluate protocols based on essential operational criteria that contribute to ease of implementation in predefined infrastructures, enhancing overall reliability and reducing the probability of successful attacks. Our study reveals a prevalent focus on defending against external attackers in existing protocols, exposing vulnerabilities to internal threats. Notably, authentication protocols employing hash chains, Mixed Message Authentication Codes, and asymmetric encryption techniques emerge as the most effective approaches. Through our comparative study, we classify the considered protocols based on their security attributes and suitability for implementation, providing valuable insights for future developments in the field.
title A Survey and Comparative Analysis of Security Properties of CAN Authentication Protocols
topic Cryptography and Security
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.10736