Shared hardware security module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12206802-B2
Application number	US-202217729272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2022
Priority date	Apr 26, 2022
Publication date	Jan 21, 2025
Grant date	Jan 21, 2025

Abstract

A system includes a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs) and a shared high security module (sHSM) separate from and connected to the plurality of ECUs over one or more private networks. At least one of the ECUs, over at least one of the plurality of private networks, authenticates a session with the sHSM and requests servicing during the authenticated session. The servicing includes encryption, decryption, or authentication, of a message designated to be handled by the at least one ECU and included in the request for servicing. The sHSM receives the message, performs the requested servicing of the message using capabilities onboard the sHSM, and publishes a serviced version of the message to a designated controller area network bus.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs);
a shared high security module (sHSM) separate from and connected to the plurality of ECUs over one or more private networks;
wherein at least one of the ECUs is configured to, over at least one of the plurality of private networks:
authenticate a session with the sHSM;
request servicing, during the authenticated session and including at least encryption, decryption, or authentication, of a message designated to be handled by the at least one ECU and included in the request for servicing;

wherein the sHSM is configured to:
receive the message and perform the requested servicing of the message using capabilities onboard the sHSM; and
publish a serviced version of the message to a designated controller area network bus.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to request the session from the sHSM over the at least one private network and wherein the sHSM is configured to send an acknowledgement of the session back to the ECU over the at least one private network.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to send a cryptographic challenge to the sHSM, over the at least one private network and responsive to receiving the acknowledgement, and wherein the sHSM is configured to perform a cryptographic calculation based on the cryptographic challenge to produce a first cryptographic calculation result and to return the first cryptographic calculation result to the at least one ECU over the at least one private network.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to perform a second cryptographic calculation based on the cryptographic challenge to produce a second cryptographic calculation result and to compare the first cryptographic calculation result, having been received from the sHSM to the second cryptographic calculation result to authenticate the session.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sHSM is further configured to co-authenticate the session with the at least one ECU.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sHSM is further configured to send the serviced version of the message back to the at least one ECU.

7. A system comprising:
a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs);
a shared high security module (sHSM) connected to the plurality of ECUs over one or more private networks;
wherein at least one of the ECUs is configured to, over at least one of the plurality of private networks:
authenticate a session with the sHSM;
request servicing, during the authenticated session and including at least encryption, decryption, or authentication, of a message designated to be handled by the at least one ECU and included in the request for servicing;

wherein the sHSM is configured to:
receive the message and perform the requested servicing of the message using capabilities onboard the sHSM; and
publish a serviced version of the message to a designated controller area network bus.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to request the session from the sHSM over the at least one private network and wherein the sHSM is configured to send an acknowledgement of the session back to the ECU over the at least one private network.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to send a cryptographic challenge to the sHSM, over the at least one private network and responsive to receiving the acknowledgement, and wherein the sHSM is configured to perform a cryptographic calculation based on the cryptographic challenge to produce a first cryptographic calculation result and to return the first cryptographic calculation result to the at least one ECU over the at least one private network.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to perform a second cryptographic calculation based on the cryptographic challenge to produce a second cryptographic calculation result and to compare the first cryptographic calculation result, having been received from the sHSM to the second cryptographic calculation result to authenticate the session.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sHSM is further configured to co-authenticate the session with the at least one ECU.

12. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sHSM is further configured to send the serviced version of the message back to the at least one ECU.

13. A system comprising:
a plurality of electronic control units (ECUs);
a shared high security module (sHSM) connected to the plurality of ECUs over one or more private networks;
wherein at least one of the ECUs is configured to, over at least one of the plurality of private networks:
authenticate a session with the sHSM;
request servicing, during the authenticated session and including at least encryption, decryption, or authentication, of a message designated to be handled by the at least one ECU and included in the request for servicing;

wherein the sHSM is configured to:
receive the message and perform the requested servicing of the message using capabilities onboard the sHSM; and
send the serviced version of the message back to the at least one ECU.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to request the session from the sHSM over the at least one private network and wherein the sHSM is configured to send an acknowledgement of the session back to the ECU over the at least one private network.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to send a cryptographic challenge to the sHSM, over the at least one private network and responsive to receiving the acknowledgement, and wherein the sHSM is configured to perform a cryptographic calculation based on the cryptographic challenge to produce a first cryptographic calculation result and to return the first cryptographic calculation result to the at least one ECU over the at least one private network.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the at least one ECU is configured to perform a second cryptographic calculation based on the cryptographic challenge to produce a second cryptographic calculation result and to compare the first cryptographic calculation result, having been received from the sHSM to the second cryptographic calculation result to authenticate the session.

17. The system of claim 13 , wherein the sHSM is further configured to co-authenticate the session with the at least one ECU.

18. The system of claim 13 , wherein the sHSM is further configured publish a serviced version of the message to a designated controller area network bus.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Palukuru Venkata Narasimha Sai Srikar
• Moore John
• Karavadi Alekhya
• Dupuis Michael

Classifications

• H04L2209/84

  Vehicles · CPC title

• H04L9/3271 Primary

  using challenge-response · CPC title

• H04L67/141

  Setup of application sessions (admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70) · CPC title

• H04L67/12

  specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks · CPC title

• H04L63/0428

  wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload · CPC title