CAN Spy
A practical hardware device and software tool for wirelessly monitoring and exploiting Controller Area Network (CAN) systems. Strictly for educational and security research purposes. This project was developed as the course project for UCLA ECE 202A Embedded Systems taken Fall 2024 with professor Mani Srivastava.
Abstract
This project aims to create an extensible platform for developing and testing Controller Area Network (CAN) exploits, addressing the security vulnerabilities inherent in the widely-used CAN protocol. Despite being robust and reliable, CAN’s age and lack of modern security measures expose critical infrastructure, including automotive and industrial systems, to potential attacks. Current research tools often focus on automotive applications, require physical access to the CAN bus, and are expensive or limited in functionality. This project proposes a novel, modular, and open-source framework that allows for wireless CAN communication and can be easily extended to support more complex attacks. By unifying hardware and software components, it simplifies the process for security researchers and engineers, lowering the barrier to entry for CAN security testing. The platform’s low-cost design and extensibility aim to foster broader use in both automotive and non-automotive systems while providing tools for secure CAN system development.
Team
- Rory Hemmings