Security, Vulnerability and Protection of Vehicular On-board Diagnostics

Recent studies have shown that "hacktivists'' can mount serious attacks on automobiles. The automotive On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) interface enables an efficient way to access information of the in-vehicle electronic system and leaves way for unauthorized access by an intruder. We discover that remote exploitation is feasible via a broad range of attack points such as mechanic tools, CD players, Bluetooth and Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Wireless communications channels allow long distance vehicle control. Finally, the paper discusses the drawbacks of Seed-Key Mechanism to authenticate and provide an extra layer of authentication to help build a safer automotive ecosystem.