Designing and implementing an AUTOSAR-based Basic Software Module for enhanced security

Electronic Control Units (ECUs) communicate with each other to accomplish the functionalities of modern vehicles. ECUs form an in-vehicle network that is precisely regulated and must be adequately protected from malicious activity, which has had several outbreaks in recent years. Therefore, we present CINNAMON, an AUTOSAR-based Basic Software Module that aims at confidentiality, integrity and authentication, all at the same time, for the traffic exchanged over the bus protocols that AUTOSAR supports. CINNAMON in fact stands for Confidential, INtegral aNd Authentic onboard coMmunicatiON. This article introduces the requirements and specification of CINNAMON in a differential fashion with respect to the existing Secure Onboard Communication Basic Software Module, which does not include confidentiality. As a result, CINNAMON exceeds SecOC at least against information gathering attacks. The article then defines three security profiles, regulating also the freshness attribute appropriately. Most importantly, CINNAMON is not a simple academic exercise because it is implemented in a laboratory environment on commercial ECUs, thus reaching the level of TRL 4, "Component and/or breadboard validation in laboratory environment". The runtimes obtained on inexpensive devices are reassuring, paving the way for a possible large-scale application.