Secure localization topology and methodology for a dedicated automated highway system

Localization of nodes is an important aspect in a vehicular ad-hoc network (VANET). Research has been done on various localization methods. Some are more apt for a specific purpose than others. To begin with, we give an overview of a vehicular ad-hoc network, localization methods, and how they can be classified. The distance bounding and verifiable trilateration methods are explained further with their corresponding algorithms and steps used for localization. Distance bounding is a range-based distance estimation algorithm. Verifiable trilateration is a popular geometric method of localization. A dedicated automated highway infrastructure can use distance bounding and/or trilateration to localize an automated vehicle on the highway. We describe a highway infrastructure for our analysis and test how well each of the methods performs, according to a security measure defined as spoofing probability. The spoofing probability is, simply put, the probability that a given point on the highway will be successfully spoofed by an attacker that is located at any random position along the highway. Spoofing probability depends on different quantities depending on the method of localization used. We compare the distance bounding and trilateration methods to a novel method using friendly jamming for localization. Friendly jamming works by creating an interference around the region whenever communication takes place between a vehicle and a verifier (belonging to the highway infrastructure, which is involved in the localization process using a given algorithm and localization method). In case of friendly jamming, the spoofing probability depends both on the position and velocity of the attacker and those of the target vehicle (which the attacker aims to spoof). This makes the spoofing probability much less for friendly jamming. On the other hand, the distance bounding and trilateration methods have spoofing probabilities depending only on their position. The results are summarized at the end of the last chapter to give an idea about how the three localization methods, i.e. distance bounding, verifiable trilateration, and friendly jamming, compare against each other for a dedicated automated highway infrastructure.;We observe that the spoofing probability of the friendly jamming infrastructure is less than 2% while the spoofing probabilities of distance bounding and trilateration are 25% and 11%, respectively. This means that the friendly jamming method is more secure for the corresponding automated transportation system (ATS) infrastructure than distance bounding and trilateration. However, one drawback of friendly jamming is that it has a high standard deviation because the range of positions that are most vulnerable is high. Even though the spoofing probability is much less, the friendly jamming method is vulnerable to an attack over a large range of distances along the highway. This can be overcome by defining a more robust infrastructure and using the infrastructure's resources judiciously. This can be the future scope of our research. Infrastructures that use the radio resources in a cost effective manner to reduce the vulnerability of the friendly jamming method are a promising choice for the localization of vehicles on an ATS highway.