Secure Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Networking in Vehicles

Current designs of future In-Vehicle Networks (IVN) prepare for switched Ethernet backbones, which can host advanced LAN technologies such as IEEE Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN). In this article, we present an integrated Time-Sensitive Software-Defined Networking (TSSDN) architecture that simultaneously enables control of synchronous and asynchronous real-time and best-effort communication for all IVN traffic classes. Despite the central SDN controller, we can validate that control can operate without a delay penalty for TSN traffic, provided protocols are properly mapped. We demonstrate how TSSDN adaptably and reliably enhances network security for in-vehicle communication. A systematic investigation of the possible control flow integrations with switched Ether-networks reveals that these strategies allow for shaping the attack surface of a software-defined IVN. We discuss embeddings of control flow identifiers on different layers, covering the range from a fully exposed mapping to deep encapsulation. We experimentally evaluate these strategies in a production vehicle, which we map to a modern Ethernet topology. Our findings indicate that visibility of automotive control flows on lower network layers enables isolation and access control throughout the network infrastructure. Such a TSSDN backbone can establish and survey trust zones within the IVN and reduce the attack surface of connected cars in various attack scenarios.