Vehicles produced today can use up to 100 microprocessors, which control everything from power locks to steering. Most of these microprocessors connect to the central engine control system in one way or another, which makes for a highly complex network of systems enabling drivers and passengers to be safe. However, with advanced computing power and capabilities come new vulnerabilities.
Hackers can break into the systems inside of a vehicle. Take automated tire pressure monitoring as an example. Each tire sends a wireless signal with a current tire pressure reading to a black box in the vehicle. An attacker who emulates this signal could potentially take control of the black box to ultimately gain control of the central engine processor. Once there, the attacker can use the cruise control to speed up the car and apply the brakes so that the vehicle crashes.
There are two ways in which a hacker can affect the security of a vehicle.
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They can take control of the vehicle, which obviously leaves the driver out of control and defenseless.
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Hackers can implement reversal-of-function commands. When a driver turns left, the car turns right, and vice versa. This principle can be applied to many functions, including brakes and acceleration.
These are very dangerous situations, needless to say. And as technology is applied to more vehicles in the future, computer security becomes increasingly important. Take the concept of robotic cars, which relies on virtually full automation. Any breach in security can cause massive problems.
With Revere Security's Hummingbird HB-2 technology, the data and communication between the sensors and microprocessors in a vehicle are secured. This leaves attackers of vehicles with far fewer alternatives on how to enter and misuse the control systems in a vehicle.
Revere Security has developed three products for automotive system security:
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The Hummingbird HB-2 cipher enables data encryption and decryption within critical vehicle control systems as well as those components that are linked to the latter, such as the central engine processor.
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The Hummingbird HB-2 mutual authentication protocol ensures that rogue senders of commands or data are not allowed to connect to vehicle systems.
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The Hummingbird key management system ensures keys are updated when necessary. For example, when older parts are replaced by new ones.
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