Safeguarding connected autonomous vehicle communication: Protocols, intra- and inter-vehicular attacks and defenses

TL;DR

This paper tackles the security of Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) communications by delivering a comprehensive review of intra- and inter-vehicular security. It develops a new threat taxonomy, surveys security architectures, protocols, and evaluation tools, and proposes practical security protocols and use cases to illustrate real-world integration. Key contributions include a unified classification of CAV security threats, concrete protocols for secure data exchange and privacy, and guidance on governance, evaluation, and future research directions. The work aims to enable robust, scalable, and trustworthy CAV deployments that can safely integrate with intelligent transportation systems.

Abstract

The advancements in autonomous driving technology, coupled with the growing interest from automotive manufacturers and tech companies, suggest a rising adoption of Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) in the near future. Despite some evidence of higher accident rates in AVs, these incidents tend to result in less severe injuries compared to traditional vehicles due to cooperative safety measures. However, the increased complexity of CAV systems exposes them to significant security vulnerabilities, potentially compromising their performance and communication integrity. This paper contributes by presenting a detailed analysis of existing security frameworks and protocols, focusing on intra- and inter-vehicle communications. We systematically evaluate the effectiveness of these frameworks in addressing known vulnerabilities and propose a set of best practices for enhancing CAV communication security. The paper also provides a comprehensive taxonomy of attack vectors in CAV ecosystems and suggests future research directions for designing more robust security mechanisms. Our key contributions include the development of a new classification system for CAV security threats, the proposal of practical security protocols, and the introduction of use cases that demonstrate how these protocols can be integrated into real-world CAV applications. These insights are crucial for advancing secure CAV adoption and ensuring the safe integration of autonomous vehicles into intelligent transportation systems.

Figures (4)

• Figure 1: Connected Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) infrastructure.
• Figure 2: Attack surface in CAVs. Top: communication risks (intra-vehicular and inter-vehicular attack).
• Figure 4: Taxonomy of threats and attacks against CAVs: visualizing the attack landscape.
• Figure 5: Categorizing future research avenues in CAV security: a taxonomy.