Analysis of the interaction between security and safety measures

The entire automotive industry is facing major challenges: In the course of technological change, new or expanded interfaces between a vehicle and the outside world are continuously evolving. Examples of this involve communication with charging stations and digital services in the cloud. They also open up the potential for cyberattacks. To ensure that possible security vulnerabilities do not enable access to critical vehicle functions and endanger the safety of people, it is essential to identify threats to safety and security at the earliest possible stage in development. The only recourse is to take appropriate countermeasures. The aim of the research project was to support developers with automated analysis of the influences of safety and security.

In interviews with experts from the BMW Group, the challenges of today were identified in the joint consideration of safety and security. The findings of these discussions formed the basis for the development of a tool-supported method for analyzing the relationships between security and safety. Research findings from Fraunhofer IEM and the comprehensive expertise of IEM experts in the area of safety & security by design enabled the development of a solution tailored to the requirements of the BMW Group. Based on architecture and requirements models, the resulting software prototype automatically calculates critical error paths and combinations of possible attacks that entail high security risks.