New project starts at INSicherheit: HATS3 – Holistic Automotive Tests of Security, Safety and Energy Storage Systems

Accidental or burning hybrid and electric vehicles receive special attention in the media landscape. This leads to uncertainty among prospective buyers and, consequently, to a loss of confidence in the technology. Vehicle accidents or fires are caused, among other things, by system-side malfunctions. In particular, the large amount of complex software inevitably leads to system errors that may pose a vulnerability and thus lead to vulnerabilities that malicious attackers can exploit to manipulate the software. On the one hand, this becomes the functionality of a control unit. such as the battery management system. and on the other hand, the ECU can be used as a basis for further attacks. The consequences are not only damage to the image of electromobility and recalls, but also potential damage to people and the environment. In order to increase confidence in hybrid and electric vehicles, the risk of accidents or fires in these vehicles must be reduced. As a result, errors and gaps in the software must be detected and eliminated at an early stage.

A central goal of the HATS3 (Holistic Automotive Testing of Security, Safety, and Storage (HATS3) project, funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research ( HATS3), is to set up a test bench for realistic security tests on vehicles in the stand and during the as well as the ability to carry out safety-relevant experiments on hybrid and electric vehicles. In addition, a method for increasing the degree of automation in the field of automotive penetration testing is to be developed in order to be able to standardize tests on the one hand and to be able to carry out tests more cost-effectively and at the same time earlier, more frequently and in more detail. .

The traction battery is one of the most expensive components of an electric or hybrid vehicle. Since the capacity of the battery has a significant influence on the range of the vehicle, but at the same time is subject to wear and has to be replaced expensively after the end of the service life, the manipulation of characteristics of the battery (e.g. charging cycles, date of manufacture, operating hours, fast charging operations) – similar to desetting mileage – is a lucrative attack scenario for used-car fraud. It is also conceivable that the tuning scene is interested in battery storage, since a deliberate misprogramming of the battery management system will increase the driving performance or range of the vehicle can be "purchased" by inking faster wear or damage to the battery. This may pose a significant financial risk to manufacturers in the sense of the guarantee. In addition, tamper-proof detection of counterfeit or improperly repaired battery modules is an important component for the prevention of unjustified warranty claims.

A further goal is therefore the targeted knowledge building in the subject area OF IT forensics for warranty and insurance claims of hybrid and electric vehicles. Existing methods of the test bench are to be further developed. Within the framework of HATS3, research is carried out for the identification and evaluation of accident-relevant data (ABS, ESP, airbag, …) for accident reconstruction in order to be able to detect a possible insurance fraud.

In summary, the key objectives of HATS3 are:

  • Construction of a test bench for realistic security tests on vehicles in the stand and while driving
  • Ability to carry out safety-related experiments on hybrid and electric vehicles
  • Development of methods and tools to increase the degree of automation in the field of automotive penetration testing
  • Targeted knowledge building in the subject area OF IT forensics for warranty and insurance claims of hybrid and electric vehicles

More information: Link

Posted in Allgemein.