ITU-T Recommendations

Recommendation ITU-T X.1381 provides security guidelines for Ethernet-based in-vehicle networks (IVNs). The current trend in electrical and electronic (E/E) architecture is to integrate the Ethernet with legacy IVNs such as the controller area network (CAN), local interconnect network (LIN), media-oriented systems transport (MOST) and FlexRay. In the past, the Ethernet was considered only as a connection between vehicles with external environments. Standard protocols that enable Internet protocol-based connections over the Ethernet (e.g., diagnostic communication over Internet protocol or universal measurement and calibration protocol) have been used to enable communications between the external environment and vehicles. These use cases generally do not need to meet stringent real-time constraints. However, in-vehicle applications using Ethernet communication require characteristics that include high time sensitivity and reliability.
Current developments in in-vehicle communication technologies require increased bandwidth in the network. Compared to the Ethernet, legacy IVNs are insufficient to meet the bandwidth requirements of current in-vehicle applications. Therefore, now and in the future, Ethernet-based IVNs are a major part of E/E architecture.
However, countermeasures known from common computer networks cannot be suitable for an automotive application because they were not designed with regard to automotive requirements and capabilities.
To address this demand, this Recommendation provides security guidelines for automotive Ethernet technology. This Recommendation includes a reference model of automotive Ethernet and analysis of threat and vulnerability for Ethernet-based IVNs. In addition, this Recommendation provides security requirements and use cases of Ethernet-based IVNs.