Electric Vehicle Charging Ecosystem» GuardKnox

INTRO TO THE EV ECOSYSTEM

The Basics of EV Charging

EV charging is done by connecting an electric vehicle (EV)—whether a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) or a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)—to a power source via an electric cord and connector.. Level 1 chargers use the standard US 120V home outlet to recharge a car in 17-25 hours for 160 km (100 mi) battery range. Level 2 chargers require a 240V outlet to recharge a car in 4-5 hours for 160 km (100 mi) battery range.

With the increasing adoption of EVs across various economic classes, the demand for convenient and accessible charging solutions has risen. This surge in demand is particularly pronounced among middle- and lower-income EV owners residing in apartments and Multi-Dwelling Units (MDUs) where the space for personal charging stations may be limited. As a result, there has been a significant shift in EV charging infrastructure from predominantly home-based to a more public and commercial-focused model.

As a result, a more robust charging network is needed in the public sphere. Level 3 chargers are used in public charging stations and can recharge a vehicle in as little as 20 minutes.

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THE GRID’S ROLE IN THE CHARGING PROCESS

The role of the electric grid in the home charging process is relatively straightforward as the energy used for charging is simply added to the monthly invoice from the local electric company. Commercial public charging, however, is more complex as it requires a variety of billing, charging and transactional processes.

Public charging stations provide a variety of pricing and access schemes that are all accessible via mobile apps connected to the cloud. As we’ll discuss later, charging via the grid is more than a simple flow of current into the vehicle as there is data transfer (and the accompanying risks) involved when EVs are plugged in.

THE EV ECOSYSTEM

The EV charging ecosystem includes a variety of businesses and service providers (not including the power suppliers to the grid). While some companies focus on specific areas of the ecosystem, such as charging station hardware, others may perform multiple services such as locating a charging station, managing the payment, and even owning the EV charging stations.

Leading EV security solutions should create a secure in-vehicle environment that enables the eMobility service provider to securely offer additional services to customers without the threat of cyber attacks.

[See benefits section below for more information.]

CYBERATTACKS & EV CHARGING RISKS

Commercial public EV charging stations face numerous potential cyber and EV charging threats from criminals, disgruntled employees or hackers. As networked systems, electric vehicles share the cyberrisks of computers, mobile phones and connected vehicles, including ransomware, trojan viruses, DDoS attacks, corrupted OTA updates and app vulnerabilities—as well as the physical hacking of remote charging stations.

Ransomware

Cyberthieves can hack ‌charging station software and install viruses that will invade and lockdown unprotected vehicles until a ransom is paid.

Trojan Viruses

Physically connecting a vehicle to a compromised charger could enable the entry of trojan viruses that let cyberthieves gain control of the vehicle for hijacking goods, people or the vehicle.

Data Loss

Hacking vulnerable system hardware or exposed interfaces for wireless communication can let cyberthieves steal personal and financial information during payment.

DDoS Attacks

Hackers flood PLC communications to deny services and charging ability.

Grid Attacks

A compromised vehicle could be used to access the grid and cause outages, theft or demand a ransom.

App Vulnerabilities

Apps for billing or locating charging stations could be exploited to penetrate safety-critical systems.

THE GUARDKNOX EV CYBERSECURITY SOLUTION

Our customizable Built-to-Spec solution for Electric Vehicles brings a new paradigm to the cybersecurity of connected and autonomous EVs. Our patented three-layer Communication Lockdown™ Methodology, deterministically verifies communication between the vehicle and the EV charging ecosystem.
It examines all messages on the routing, content and contextual layers, permitting only safely verified communication while dropping all unauthorized and dangerous messages.

The GuardKnox solution ensures that all communications between EV owners and their eMobility service providers during the charging and billing process are fully secure. It verifies that only properly verified data is shared with the eMSP and also prevents non-relevant data from the eMSP entering the internal vehicle network or accessing unauthorized areas of the vehicle such as the drivetrain or engine.

Vulnerabilities In the EV Charging Grid

Far Reaching Connectivity Means Several New Attack Vectors
(Colored code signifies compromised or malicious communication)

Benefits of GuardKnox’s EV Cybersecurity Solution

Secure V2G Communication

Secure Financial Transactions

Protection From Infected Vehicles

Autonomous Protection

Scalability To Support Future Services

Added Services For Recharging

Personalization

Analytics & Reporting

Secure Environment

A WORD ABOUT UNECE R155

Starting July 2024, all new vehicles sold in the EU (including new EVs and new EV models) must comply with UNECE R155 related to vehicle cybersecurity for OEMs.

GuardKnox offers a fully configurable, and reliable secure automotive gateway that maintains high bandwidth and secure connectivity across all ECUs in the vehicle without limiting the OEM’s communication parameters. The secure gateway is developed in accordance with the strictest cybersecurity standard available, ISO/SAE 21434 and thus helps OEMs comply with UNECE R155.

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SECURE ELECTRICVEHICLE CHARGING