Injection attack immunity using redundant heterogeneous processing cores

Abstract

Technology is an integral part of modern society. Devices such as smart lights, locks and appliances are becoming more commonplace. This class of devices are called embedded systems. Embedded systems can be targeted by malicious cyber attacks just as a normal computer can. Unfortunately, many techniques used to secure and protect normal computers do not work on embedded systems. New security techniques must be developed and designed to protect embedded systems. This paper investigates using physically diverse processing cores to defeat cyber attacks in real time. Diverse processing cores were implemented using reconfigurable hardware devices called FPGAs. The use of FPGAs allows diverse cores to be utilized, without losing the benefits gained from standardized processors. The cores implemented were based on a commercial processor made by Texas Instruments (TI). Modeling the diverse cores after a commercial processor enables the cores to utilize development tools created for TI's processor. A complete system was built using diverse processors to prove the feasibility and usability of secure embedded systems. The cores were used to control a realistic embedded system application. While operating, the cores were subjected to a cyber attack, and they were able to nullify the attack. An identical setup was created using the commercially available processor. Attacking the commercial processor compromised the application and reinforced the need for secure systems. The techniques investigated and utilized in this paper can be expanded to increase security in the many embedded systems that have become an essential part of modern lifestyles.