Optimized Cybersecurity in the Vehicle Through Flexible HSM Software

Stuttgart, GERMANY, 2019-10-08 – To increase cybersecurity in vehicles, vHSM from Vector Informatik is now available. It is a software stack for hardware security modules that contains a wide variety of cryptographic functions. The stack not only supports current challenges such as SecOC (Secure On-Board Communication) and Secure Boot. It also addresses future requirements such as IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) and TLS (Transport Layer Security). The advantage: shortened development times and reduced integration effort by using a solution for OEMs and suppliers that fits perfectly into the automotive environment.

Compared to other solutions available on the market, Vector has designed a modular and configurable software solution. It can be seamlessly integrated into an ECU together with any AUTOSAR Basic Software. Its configuration and expansion options make it possible to perfectly customize the software stack to the desired use case. It fulfills the automotive OEM’s security requirements with minimal effort, shortening the development times of ECU projects by avoiding extensive iteration loops. The crypto driver supplied with vHSM was developed according to ISO 26262 ASIL D, and it offers a standardized interface to the AUTOSAR Basic Software.

vHSM is available for hardware security modules (HSM) which are integrated in microcontrollers and have become established as hardware trust anchors in the automotive environment. The vHSM software offers an abstraction of the hardware and provides the user with an AUTOSAR-conformant interface for many different hardware platforms. In addition, vHSM supports various hardware accelerators which permit efficient execution of complex algorithms.

vHSM helps to keep ECU development efforts to a minimum in the security area, because the user can easily access all the usually required functionality. vHSM supports a wide variety of security services such as basic cryptographic functions, symmetrical and asymmetrical encryption and signature methods as well as certificate handling and key management. All functions are executed in an isolated domain on a secure computing core with a dedicated memory.

The functional scope of vHSM is constantly being extended and discussed with automotive OEMs in order to remain compliant with their specifications. Vector also works closely with all leading microcontroller manufacturers to optimize its solution

Top image: The vHSM software stack boosts cybersecurity in vehicles (Image rights: Vector Informatik GmbH)