CERTIFICATING VEHICLE PUBLIC KEY WITH VEHICLE ATTRIBUTES

• US 20150052352A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lukasz Krzywiecki, Michael Segal, Nisha Panwar, Shlomi Dolev
• Original Assignee: Michael Segal, Shlomi Dolev
• Inventors: DOLEV, Shlomi, PANWAR, Nisha, SEGAL, Michael, KRZYWIECKI, Lukasz
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3215 using a plurality of channels network architectures or network communication protocols using different networks H04L63/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3268 using certificate validation, registration, distribution or revocation, e.g. certificate revocation list [CRL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3278 using physically unclonable functions [PUF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/50 Secure pairing of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/65 Environment-dependent, e.g. using captured environmental data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks

Abstract

A method for providing secure connection between vehicles over channels of a wireless communication network, according to which, a first unique pair of digitally signed public key and private key is provided to each vehicle, along with additional vehicle-related data including a visually static collection of attributes of the vehicle. A unique certificate number is generated for each vehicle and monolithic data consisting of the public key, the certificate number and the attributes is signed by a trusted certificate generating authority. Prior to wireless communication between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, a verification step is performed during which the first vehicle sends its unique certificate number to a second vehicle over a communication channel; the second vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate number of the first vehicle and attributes by a camera that captures attributes which are visible, using image processing means. If the attributes are verified successfully, the second vehicle sends its unique certificate number to the first vehicle over a communication channel, along with a secret session key, which is valid for the current session only. Then the first vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate number of the second vehicle and attributes by a camera that captures attributes of the second vehicle which are visible, using signal processing means and both vehicles are allowed to securely exchange message or data using the secret session key.

Claims

1. ) A method for providing secure connection between vehicles over channels of a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

a) providing to each vehicle, a first unique pair of digitally signed public key and private key;

b) providing to each vehicle, additional vehicle-related data being a visually static collection of attributes of said vehicle;

c) for each vehicle, generating a unique certificate number;

d) signing monolithic data consisting of said public key, said certificate number and said attributes by a trusted certificate generating authority;

e) prior to wireless communication between a first vehicle and a second vehicle, performing a verification step during which;

e1) said first vehicle sends its unique certificate to a second vehicle over a communication channel;

e2) said second vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate of said first vehicle and attributes by a camera or by other visual capturing devices being capable of capturing attributes of said first vehicle which are visible, using image processing means;

f) if said attributes are verified successfully, said second vehicle sends its unique certificate to said first vehicle over a communication channel, along with a secret session key, which is valid for the current session only;

g) said first vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate of said second vehicle and attributes by a camera or by other visual capturing devices being capable of capturing attributes of said second vehicle which are visible, using signal processing means; and

h) allowing both vehicles to securely exchange message or data using said secret session key.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the static collection of attributes includes:

the color of the vehicle;

world manufacturing identifier of the vehicle;

the license plate number of the vehicle;

the chassis number of the vehicle;

the engine type and number of the vehicle;

the model of the vehicle;

the brand/logo of the vehicle;

the texture of the color of the vehicle;

the outline of the vehicle'"'"'s body;

racks on the vehicle;

mud flaps of the vehicle;

front/rear guards of the vehicle;

foot steps of the vehicle'"'"'s tires;

wireless fingerprints;

the appearance of color repairs on the vehicle'"'"'s body;

procedures to identify said attributes.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the communication channel includes:

wireless radio channel;

optical communication channel;

laser or IR communications.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising verifying dynamic attributes of the vehicle by the laser beam used both to identify the location of the vehicle and to transfer data over the channel.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

a) receiving a laser beam including challenge bits transmitted from a source vehicle by a Physical Unclonable Function (PUF) device installed on a destination vehicle;

b) interacting with said beam and creating a unique optical unclonable pattern;

c) decoding said optical unclonable pattern and obtaining a numeric response; and

d) verifying said numeric response against certified challenge response pairs;

e) if the verification is successful, allowing communication between vehicles.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal processing means are image processing means.