Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus

With the integration of an increasing number of outward-facing components in intelligent and connected vehicles, the open controller area network (CAN) bus environment faces increasingly severe security threats. However, existing security measures remain inadequate, and CAN bus messages lack effecti...

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Main Authors: Yuanhao Wang, Yinan Xu, Zhiquan Liu, Suya Liu, Yujing Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Sensors
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/3380
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author Yuanhao Wang
Yinan Xu
Zhiquan Liu
Suya Liu
Yujing Wu
author_facet Yuanhao Wang
Yinan Xu
Zhiquan Liu
Suya Liu
Yujing Wu
author_sort Yuanhao Wang
collection DOAJ
description With the integration of an increasing number of outward-facing components in intelligent and connected vehicles, the open controller area network (CAN) bus environment faces increasingly severe security threats. However, existing security measures remain inadequate, and CAN bus messages lack effective security mechanisms and are vulnerable to malicious attacks. Although encryption algorithms can enhance system security, their high bandwidth consumption negatively impacts the real-time performance of intelligent and connected vehicles. Moreover, the message authentication mechanism of the CAN bus requires lengthy authentication codes, further exacerbating the bandwidth burden. To address these issues, we propose an improved dynamic compression algorithm that achieves higher compression rates and efficiency by optimizing header information processing during data reorganization. Additionally, we have proposed a novel dynamic key management approach, incorporating a dynamic key distribution mechanism, which effectively resolves the challenges associated with key management. Each Electronic Control Unit (ECU) node independently performs compression, encryption, and authentication while periodically updating its keys to enhance system security and strengthen defense capabilities. Experimental results show that the proposed dynamic compression algorithm improves the average compression rate by 2.24% and enhances compression time efficiency by 10% compared to existing solutions. The proposed security protocol effectively defends against four different types of attacks. In hardware tests, using an ECU operating at a frequency of 30 MHz, the computation time for the security algorithm on a single message was 0.85 ms, while at 400 MHz, the computation time was reduced to 0.064 ms. Additionally, for different vehicle models, the average CAN bus load rate was reduced by 8.28%. The proposed security mechanism ensures the security, real-time performance, and freshness of CAN bus messages while reducing bus load, providing a more efficient and reliable solution for the cybersecurity of intelligent and connected vehicles.
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spelling doaj-art-bd6e4bb48dd34c14a0eb2f35ec7aa3ea2025-08-20T02:23:04ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202025-05-012511338010.3390/s25113380Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN BusYuanhao Wang0Yinan Xu1Zhiquan Liu2Suya Liu3Yujing Wu4The College of Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, ChinaThe College of Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, ChinaThe College of Cyber Security, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, ChinaThe College of Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, ChinaThe College of Engineering, Yanbian University, Yanji 133002, ChinaWith the integration of an increasing number of outward-facing components in intelligent and connected vehicles, the open controller area network (CAN) bus environment faces increasingly severe security threats. However, existing security measures remain inadequate, and CAN bus messages lack effective security mechanisms and are vulnerable to malicious attacks. Although encryption algorithms can enhance system security, their high bandwidth consumption negatively impacts the real-time performance of intelligent and connected vehicles. Moreover, the message authentication mechanism of the CAN bus requires lengthy authentication codes, further exacerbating the bandwidth burden. To address these issues, we propose an improved dynamic compression algorithm that achieves higher compression rates and efficiency by optimizing header information processing during data reorganization. Additionally, we have proposed a novel dynamic key management approach, incorporating a dynamic key distribution mechanism, which effectively resolves the challenges associated with key management. Each Electronic Control Unit (ECU) node independently performs compression, encryption, and authentication while periodically updating its keys to enhance system security and strengthen defense capabilities. Experimental results show that the proposed dynamic compression algorithm improves the average compression rate by 2.24% and enhances compression time efficiency by 10% compared to existing solutions. The proposed security protocol effectively defends against four different types of attacks. In hardware tests, using an ECU operating at a frequency of 30 MHz, the computation time for the security algorithm on a single message was 0.85 ms, while at 400 MHz, the computation time was reduced to 0.064 ms. Additionally, for different vehicle models, the average CAN bus load rate was reduced by 8.28%. The proposed security mechanism ensures the security, real-time performance, and freshness of CAN bus messages while reducing bus load, providing a more efficient and reliable solution for the cybersecurity of intelligent and connected vehicles.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/3380intelligent and connected vehiclesCAN busdynamic compression algorithmdynamic key managementdefense capabilitydynamic encryption and authentication
spellingShingle Yuanhao Wang
Yinan Xu
Zhiquan Liu
Suya Liu
Yujing Wu
Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus
Sensors
intelligent and connected vehicles
CAN bus
dynamic compression algorithm
dynamic key management
defense capability
dynamic encryption and authentication
title Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus
title_full Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus
title_fullStr Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus
title_full_unstemmed Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus
title_short Research on Lightweight Dynamic Security Protocol for Intelligent In-Vehicle CAN Bus
title_sort research on lightweight dynamic security protocol for intelligent in vehicle can bus
topic intelligent and connected vehicles
CAN bus
dynamic compression algorithm
dynamic key management
defense capability
dynamic encryption and authentication
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/25/11/3380
work_keys_str_mv AT yuanhaowang researchonlightweightdynamicsecurityprotocolforintelligentinvehiclecanbus
AT yinanxu researchonlightweightdynamicsecurityprotocolforintelligentinvehiclecanbus
AT zhiquanliu researchonlightweightdynamicsecurityprotocolforintelligentinvehiclecanbus
AT suyaliu researchonlightweightdynamicsecurityprotocolforintelligentinvehiclecanbus
AT yujingwu researchonlightweightdynamicsecurityprotocolforintelligentinvehiclecanbus