Automotive Controller Area Network Intrusion Detection Systems

Abstract

The technological development observed in recent years has led to the expansion of automotive systems communication capabilities. Consequently, several security vulnerabilities and additional attack surfaces that a threat agent can potentially exploit are increased. The most employed communication protocol in a vehicle is the controller area network (CAN) serial bus protocol, designed with robust fault tolerance in mind, but little to no concern for security. This chapter offers a primer on the controller area network typical architecture, what messages are used in communication, its error management system, and its vulnerabilities. Possible CAN attack surfaces and attack methods are also presented, followed by an exposition on intrusion detection systems (IDS) as a potential solution to the security concerns raised by CAN bus vulnerabilities. Several case studies on IDS implementations for secure CAN bus systems are also presented, including a recently proposed framework to facilitate further development in this field of study.