🚗 Automotive Cybersecurity Career Roadmap 🛣

Introduction

Welcome to the Automotive Cybersecurity Career Roadmap! This guide is tailored for individuals aspiring to build expertise in automotive cybersecurity. It covers skills ranging from foundational knowledge to advanced hardware hacking and practical hands-on learning. By following this roadmap, you can grow into roles such as Automotive Security Analyst, Penetration Tester, Consultant, or Engineer.

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1. Foundational Knowledge (Beginner Level)

1.1 Computer Science Basics

• Programming Skills:
  • Learn Python for automation, C/C++ for embedded systems, and Bash scripting for system automation.
  • Tools: Visual Studio Code, GCC Compiler.
• Operating Systems:
  • Focus on Linux (Ubuntu, Kali Linux) and Windows internals.
  • Understand file systems, process management, and shell scripting.

1.2 Networking Basics

• Core Protocols:
  • Learn TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP/HTTPS, DNS.
• Wireless Communication:
  • Basics of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth/LE, and RF technologies.
• Tools:
  • Wireshark for packet analysis, BurpSuite for web request interception, nmap for network scanning.

1.3 Cybersecurity Fundamentals

• Key Concepts:
  • CIA Triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability), Authentication, Authorization. Basic of ISO/SAE 21434 is also recommended.
• Threat Models:
  • STRIDE, Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) and OWASP Threat Modeling.

1.4 Automotive Basics

• Automotive Protocols:
  • Learn CAN, ISO-TP, UDS, LIN, FlexRay, and Automotive Ethernet.
  • Tools: CANalyzer, CANoe, BusMaster, SavvyCAN, PCANView and can-utils. Try to master any one of paid tools.
• ECU Architecture:
  • Study the structure or vehicle architecture and roles of Body, Powertrain, Telematics, and Infotainment ECUs.

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2. Intermediate Skills

2.1 Secure Development Practices

• Secure Coding:
  • Input validation, memory safety, and buffer overflow protections.
• Encryption:
  • Use of AES, RSA, and TLS for secure communication.

2.2 Automotive Protocols

• In-depth Study:
  • Understand error handling and arbitration in CAN, ISO-TP, and Automotive Ethernet.
  • Tools: CANalyzer, CANoe, SavvyCAN, BusMaster.

2.3 Threat Modeling (TARA)

• Focus Areas:
  • Asset identification, attack path analysis, risk prioritization and actionable security controls.

2.4 Regulations and Standards

• ISO/SAE 21434:
  • Explore lifecycle risk management.
• UN R155:
  • Learn cybersecurity requirements for vehicle homologation.

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3. Advanced Skills

3.1 Penetration Testing

• CAN Bus Penetration Testing:
  • Perform replay attacks, message injection, DoS attacks, and analyze ISO-TP.
  • Tools: CANoe, CANutils and ICSim for practice.
• UDS (Unified Diagnostic Services):
  • Exploit critical services like $27 Security Access, $22 Read Data by Identifier, and more.
  • Tools: CANoe, can-utils, python-can/python-uds library, UDS in Scapy, open-source tools. PlayUDS for practicing UDS.

3.2 Cryptography

• Secure Boot:
  • Learn PKI, hashing algorithms, and secure firmware validation.
• Key Management:
  • Explore symmetric (AES) and asymmetric (RSA) key management.
• Tools:
  • OpenSSL, GnuPG for cryptographic operations.

3.3 Hardware and Embedded Hacking

• Low-Level Communication Protocols:
  • UART: Analyze serial communication and debug messages.
  • SPI/I2C: Study inter-device communication in ECUs.
• Debug Interfaces:
  • JTAG/SWD: Use for hardware debugging and firmware extraction.
  • Tools: Bus Pirate, OpenOCD, Logic Analyzers.

3.4 Firmware Analysis

• Firmware Reverse Engineering:
  • Extract and analyze firmware from chips.
  • Tools: Ghidra, Binwalk, Firmware Emulation Tools.
• Binary Reverse Engineering:
  • Analyze binaries for vulnerabilities like buffer overflows, format string, hardcoded keys.
  • Tools: GDB, pwndbg, radare2, Ghidra, Binary Ninja and pwntools.

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4. Specialized Roles 🧑‍💻

4.1 Automotive Security Analyst

• Responsibilities:
  • Threat detection, incident response, and vulnerability assessments.
• Tools:
  • SIEM platforms like Splunk, ELK Stack.

4.2 Automotive Penetration Tester

• Responsibilities:
  • Exploit In-vehicle networks(e.g; CAN & UDS), HMI systems, wireless communications, RF protocols and hardware vulnerabilities in ECUs.
• Focus:
  • Vulnerability assessment, fuzzing, exploitation, privilege escalation and mitigations.

4.3 Automotive Cybersecurity Consultant

• Responsibilities:
  • Advise on secure design and compliance with standards.
• Focus:
  • Risk management, secure architecture, gap analysis, security controls and TARA--> ISO/SAE 21434, WP.29 and NHTSA's cyberseucurity best practices.

4.4 Automotive Cybersecurity Engineer

• Responsibilities:
  • Develop secure systems, implement cryptographic algorithms.
• Focus:
  • Secure coding, secure boot, secure communication (e.g; SecOC), cryptography, embedded systems.

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5. Future Learning

• Advanced Topics:
  • AI/ML for anomaly detection, 5G and V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) security.
• Certifications (Good to have):
  • CEH, OSCP, ISO/SAE 21434 certifications.

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🤝 Contributors

• @username

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