Towards digital vehicle identification based on engine control units memory analysis

Abstract

This paper describes a process of developing procedures of investigating and determining origins of a vehicle, based on its digital identification data stored in electronic control units as the Vehicle Identification Number. The 17-digits standardized VIN number uniquely identifies every modern manufactured car and is placed in a visible way in several different places including car chassis, car body and documentation. Additionally, depending on a manufacturer, VIN is located in numerous electronic control units (ECUs) in non-volatile EEPROM memories. Despite being prohibited by law there has been rapid growth of unauthorized VIN changes over the last decades caused by unrestricted access to high-tech chip tunning tools developed primarily for engine performance improvements. This approach has become widely exploited by cars thieves to mask original identity and resell stolen cars and parts on 2nd hand markets, glossing over their history. The aim of the research is to collect information on types of memories installed in ECUs, available security mechanisms protecting their data, storing patterns as well as describe attempts to determine a vehicle depending on the structure of the VIN read from the ECU including all types of information encoded. Results and conclusions were obtained based on several available Bosch Electronic Diesel Control units.