Certificating vehicle public key with vehicle attributes

• US 9,769,658 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lukasz Krzywiecki, Michael Segal, Nisha Panwar, Shlomi Dolev
• Original Assignee: Lukasz Krzywiecki, Nisha Panwar
• Inventors: Dolev, Shlomi, Panwar, Nisha, Segal, Michael, Krzywiecki, Lukasz
• Primary Examiner(s): Colin, Carl
• Assistant Examiner(s): LITTLE, VANCE M
• Application Number:
  US14/309,990
• Publication Number:
  US 20150052352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• 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. A unique pair of digitally signed public key and private key is provided to each vehicle, along with additional vehicle-related data. A certificate number is generated for each vehicle and the public key, the certificate number and the attributes of the vehicle is signed by a trusted certificate generating authority. Before communicating with a second vehicle, the first vehicle sends its unique certificate to a second vehicle; the second vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate number and visible attributes by a camera. If the attributes are verified successfully, the second vehicle sends its unique certificate number to the first vehicle, along with a secret key, which is valid for the current session only. Then the first vehicle verifies the authenticity of received certificate of the second vehicle and attributes by a camera that captures visible attributes of the second vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for providing secure connection between a first vehicle and a second vehicle over a channel of a wireless communication network, comprising the steps of:

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

b) providing to each vehicle, additional vehicle-related data being a collection of its own visual attributes, at least one of which being an executable procedure, executed by a verifier and monolithically signed with its said own public key, for identifying itself;

c) for each vehicle, generating its own unique certificate with a unique certificate number, said executable procedure being embedded in said own unique certificate, to identify said each vehicle upon being in communication with another vehicle;

d) signing monolithic data consisting of said own public key, said certificate number and said visual attributes of said first vehicle by a trusted Certificate generating Authority (CA) that solely restores any manipulations being changes in attributes or in security credentials of said first vehicle;

e) prior to wireless communication between said first vehicle and said second vehicle, performing an out of band verification step of said visual attributes of said first vehicle, during which;

e.1) the signed monolithic data is mutually verified by said second vehicle while exchanging authentication identification session key, simultaneously and in one communication round, where said first vehicle sends its unique certificate to said second vehicle over a communication channel;

e.2) said second vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate of said first vehicle and its visual attributes by a visual capturing device being capable of capturing attributes of said first vehicle which are visible, using image processing means;

f) if said captured visual attributes are verified successfully via out of band communication, generating a secret session key with neighboring authenticated vehicles for a current session independently at one party, said second vehicle sends its unique certificate to said first vehicle over a communication channel, along with said secret session key, which is valid for the current session only using only two communication rounds;

g) said first vehicle verifies the authenticity of received unique certificate of said second vehicle and its attributes by a visual capturing device, for capturing attributes of said second vehicle which are visible, using signal processing means; and

h) as a result of successful authentication, allowing both vehicles to securely exchange message or data using said secret session key.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the collection of each vehicle'"'"'s attributes includes:

its color;

its world manufacturing identifier;

its license plate number;

its chassis number;

its engine type and number;

its model;

its brand/logo;

the texture of its color;

its body outline;

its racks;

its mud flaps;

its front/rear guards;

its tire tread;

its wireless fingerprints;

its appearance of color body repairs;

procedures to identify its attributes.

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

wireless radio channel;

optical communication channel;

laser or IR communication channel.

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