A Vulnerability Assessment Testing Methodology for V2X-Enabled Environments

Abstract

V2X systems and networks are unlike existing wireless technologies since more data, bandwidth, and speed is required when communicating over a highly dynamic and ever-changing vehicular network. Protocols supporting V2X environments must have more advanced hardware and software to process the volume of messages necessary to effectively transmit telemetry and safety data. The existing vulnerability assessment testing methodology is geared towards enterprise networks and protocols such as IEEE 802.3 and IEEE 802.11a/n/g and do not address the needs of more advanced vehicular networks like CAN, IEEE 802.11p, IEEE 1609.3, and IEEE 1609.4. This thesis provides an overview of the benefits of deploying V2X enabled systems and networks into the transportation infrastructure and provides an overview of V2X communication protocols. By evaluating the existing vulnerability assessment testing methodology, it is shown why it is insufficient for V2X environments and an improved testing methodology is proposed that meets the needs of those environments. The thesis concludes with results from two case studies that demonstrate the potential efficacy of the proposed improvements.