ATS is Integrating the Uptane Security Framework for Over-the-air Software Updates

ATS Advanced Telematic Systems is the first European company integrating the Uptane security framework into its OTA solutions: OTA Plus and ATS Garage. Uptane is a joint research initiative between NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering, the Southwest Research Institute, and the University of Michigan Transport Research Center, working to develop a common standard for automotive software update security. It was designed in consultation with government regulators, OEMs, and suppliers responsible for 78% of vehicles on U.S. roads. Uptane builds on The Update Framework (TUF) for software updates in conventional IT systems. The aim is to mitigate all common attacks on software update systems specific to connected vehicles. It was initiated and funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. 

The most comprehensive security framework to defend against attacks on software updates for connected cars

“Uptane is the most comprehensive security framework available to defend attacks on updates for connected cars. It supports the highest level of security for all ECUs – even resource-constrained secondary ECUs. Uptane has been backed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and is specifically designed to meet the requirements of the automotive industry. Together with Uptane, we are setting a new security standard for the whole industry,” said Arthur Taylor, Chief Technologist at ATS Advanced Telematic Systems. The Uptane design mitigates attacks even if an attacker has direct access to a vehicle’s safety-critical components. The result is that any single attack on infrastructure will be contained to that specific component and cannot compromise vehicle safety, and even multiple simultaneous compromises will have little or no impact on vehicle fleets’ software.

Highest security due to open standards

“What is different about Uptane is that it is an open standard that has been publicly reviewed by members of the security community,” explained Justin Cappos, a professor in the Computer Science and Engineering department of NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering. ATS products stand out in a marketplace full of closed-source OTA products, as OTA Plus and other ATS solutions are open source-based and built according to open standards.

This is why ATS partners with standards organizations and automotive associations, to develop solutions that respond to current challenges and future needs in the connected car industry. In close cooperation with automotive alliance GENIVI and Toyota-backed Automotive Grade Linux (AGL), ATS works on turning best practices into industry standards. Toyota recently announced that it will be using an AGL-based Linux system for its model Camry.

About ATS Advanced Telematic Systems: https://advancedtelematic.com