Software stack increases vehicle cybersecurity
To increase cybersecurity in vehicles, Vector Informatik has developed vHSM, a software stack for hardware security modules that contain cryptographic functions. The stack supports SecOC (Secure on-board communication) and Secure Boot. It also addresses future requirements such as IPsec (Internet Protocol security) and TLS (transport layer security).
The software stack offers shortened development times and reduces the integration effort required by OEMs and suppliers, says Vector Informatik.
The modular and configurable software can be seamlessly integrated into an engine control unit (ECU) together with any AutoSAR Basic software. The configuration and expansion options allow the user to customise the software stack for a use case. Furthermore, the software stack fulfills the automotive OEM’s security requirements with minimal effort, shortening the development times of ECU projects by avoiding extensive iteration loops, says the company. The crypto driver supplied with vHSM was developed according to ISO 26262 ASIL D, and it offers a standardised interface to the AutoSAR Basic software.
vHSM is available for hardware security modules (HSMs) which are integrated in microcontrollers as hardware trust anchors in the automotive environment. The vHSM software offers an abstraction of the hardware and provides the user with an AutoSAR-conformant interface for many different hardware platforms. In addition, vHSM supports various hardware accelerators which permit efficient execution of complex algorithms.
vHSM helps to keep ECU development efforts to a minimum in the security area, because the user can easily access all the usually required functionality. vHSM supports a wide variety of security services such as basic cryptographic functions, symmetrical and asymmetrical encryption and signature methods as well as certificate handling and key management. All functions are executed in an isolated domain on a secure computing core with a dedicated memory.
Vector manufactures software tools and embedded components for the development of electronic systems and their networking with many different systems from CAN to automotive Ethernet.
The company has been a partner of automotive manufacturers and suppliers and related industries since 1988 and supplies customers around the world in the automotive, commercial vehicles, aerospace, transportation, and control technology industries.
Worldwide, Vector currently employs more than 2,500 people and has headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany and subsidiaries in the USA, Japan, France, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Sweden, South Korea, India, China, and Brazil.
