Lightweight Ciphers in Automotive Networks: A Preliminary Approach

Nowadays, the growing need to connect modern vehicles through computer networks leads to increased risks of cyberattacks. The internal network, which governs the several electronic components of a vehicle, is becoming increasingly overexposed to external attacks. The Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol, used to interconnect those devices is the key point of the internal network of modern vehicles. Therefore, securing such protocol is crucial to ensure a safe driving experience. However, the CAN is a standard that has undergone little changes since it was introduced in 1983. More precisely, in an attempt to reduce latency, the transfer of information remains unencrypted, which today represents a weak point in the protocol. Hence, the need to protect communications, without introducing low-level alterations, while preserving the performance characteristics of the protocol. In this work, we investigate the possibility of using symmetric encryption algorithms for securing messages exchanged by CAN protocol. In particular, we evaluate the using of lightweight ciphers to secure CAN-level communication. Such ciphers represent a reliable solution on hardware-constrained devices, such as microcontrollers.