Date of Award

9-20-2024

Publication Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.Sc.

Department

Computer Science

Keywords

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

Supervisor

Ikjot Saini

Abstract

Over-the-Air (OTA) updates provide a convenient and cost-effective way to deliver software updates to vehicles without needing a visit to the dealership in person. However, they also introduce significant cybersecurity risks known to come with wireless connectivity, such as Man-in-the-middle and replay attacks. Our research presents a novel method for enhancing the security of OTA updates in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) using permissioned Blockchain technology with smart contracts for automation. Our proposed solution involves adding a second point of trust to the traditional OTA update architecture, utilizing permissioned Blockchain technology to verify the integrity of the OTA update before the CAV proceeds with the installation. Thereby ensuring the security and reliability of the vehicle’s functionality. This thesis outlines the context and motivation for this research, reviews current Blockchain-based secure mechanisms for OTA updates, details the proposed method, and presents the implementation and evaluation results from our proof of concept. The results demonstrate that the proposed Blockchain-based verification system significantly enhances the security of OTA updates against common cyber attacks, with minimal overhead and low impact on system performance. Additionally, the proposed architecture can be easily integrated into existing OTA update infrastructures, making it a cost-effective solution for protecting CAVs against potential cyber threats at a scale.

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