Journal Article
Secure Feature Activation
2009-04-20
2009-01-0262
This work shows how vehicular features which are pre-installed but deactivated can be securely enabled later with activation codes. Nowadays, feature activation results in two business models. The first model is a pay-per-use model which drastically reduces one-time acquisition costs for customers while increasing the long-term revenue of manufacturers. The second model is an “activate-once-and-use-always” model, which allows vehicles to come in differently configured variants even though most electronic devices use the same hardware and software components. Since the usage of product features is usually liable to pay costs (e.g., aftermarket business models) and legal obligations (e.g., export restrictions), the underlying security of the feature activation process is essential. This paper discusses the theoretical background of secure activation codes geared to an automotive context.