NXP - secure and safe automotive MCUs & MPUs

NXP - security & functional safety in automotive

What is Security? 
Security is a quality aspect in an uncontrolled and evolving environment and must be an integral part of the system design. Security solutions are usually custom made, means different use cases & architectures may require different security solutions, but they often use generic building blocks. 100% secure (or safe) does not exist in the real world, therefore, the challenge is to find the right balance between risk and protection (cost). 

The self-driving, connected vehicle is a cloud-connected computer network on wheels, increasingly connected to its environment…an attractive target for hackers. Cryptography is a basis, but not a substitution for security. Implementation weaknesses are responsible for most security vulnerabilities. 

Security & Functional Safety are similar, both are quality aspects, needed to ensure the proper operation of a system…but not the same.

Functional Safety is concerned with unintentional hazards, resulting from natural phenomena (e.g. extreme temperatures or humidity levels), or from human negligence or ignorance (e.g. improper design or use) as such, the nature of these hazards does not change over time, and the occurrence of such hazards is rather predictable and regular (following  e.g. the laws of physics).

Security is concerned with intentional hazards, resulting from attacks planned and carried out by humans as such, the nature of this hazards changes over time (“hackers get smarter”), and the occurrence of such hazards is rather unpredictable and irregular (“hackers don’t follow the rules”). 

Security requires a different mind set. Connected vehicles must have:

• Functional Safety – Zero accidents by system failures (ISO26262)
• Functional Security – Zero accidents by system hacks
• Device Reliability – Zero components failures (robust design)
• Road Safety – Zero accidents by human error

Security requires a layered approach for connected vehicles, as well as for e.g. your house: multiple security techniques, at different levels (a.k.a. defense-in-depth), in order to mitigate the risk of one component of the defense being compromised or circumvented.

NXP is a leading supplier in Secure Automotive MCU Solutions and offers complete secure ADA-Systems including big data Infrastructure.
 

4 Layers to secure a vehicle

Product introduction