Toyota organizes a car-hacking event that captivates participating students. We uncovered the important purpose behind the event.
How does pasta go with ramen?
PASTA (Portable Automotive Security Testbed with Adaptability) is a device that replicates the functions of a car.
Inside, the briefcase brings together car electrical systems and onboard networks. The steering wheel, brakes, and other functions are replicated in miniature.
The following video shows PASTA in action.
Connected to a computer, PASTA can be used for hacking to assess cybersecurity and take countermeasures without the need for a real car.
A steering wheel and pedals can also be added for a more realistic simulation.
Ayaka Matsushita, a researcher at InfoTech-IS, uses PASTA in her research. She says the goal is to engage more people in cybersecurity research.
Ayaka Matsushita, Researcher, InfoTech-IS
In the future, I believe that everyone involved in carmaking will be conscious of cybersecurity, not only manufacturers but also suppliers and affiliated companies. No doubt, there will also be a boom in related research at universities.
However, if you start working on actual cars without the proper expertise, you run the risk of unexpected outcomes. The benefit of PASTA is that it removes those psychological hurdles so that anyone can get straight into testing.
What is more, the PASTA software is open source and freely available on the internet for anyone to view or use.
The advantage of this approach is that test results can also be made publicly available online. This means that information on which countermeasures were effective against certain types of attacks can be widely shared.
As PASTA designer, Toyama explains the importance of this feature.
Tsuyoshi Toyama, Project Manager
At present, car cybersecurity is a black box, with each company conducting individual assessments. To counter threats, we need a common industry platform for sharing test results. That was my biggest reason for designing PASTA.
Sharing test results allows third parties to draw on that knowledge, accelerating cybersecurity improvements across the industry. That’s why I was very committed to ensuring openness.
While competition is necessary in certain areas, cooperation is also crucial. We hope that PASTA can spur stronger collaboration.
Currently, PASTA can be purchased online. Since the goal is not profit-making but strengthening cybersecurity across the industry, Toyota sells the devices essentially at cost.
To make PASTA accessible for all, the company also offers comprehensive support in the event of technical faults or users needing assistance.
For the cost-conscious, there is also an affordable alternative: RAMN (Resistant Automotive Miniature Network), pronounced “ramen.”
Rather than selling RAMN as a product, the assembly instructions are available for free online. Those with the relevant know-how can build units for themselves.
However, this option does not come with the same support as PASTA, or adaptability through accessories. RAMN designer Camille Gay, a project manager at InfoTech-IS, explains the different concepts behind the two devices.
Camille Gay, Ph.D., Project Manager/Principal Researcher, InfoTech-IS
RAMN is intended for university researchers and other users who already possess the know-how but have limited budgets. For those who want to try their hand at improving cybersecurity but are unfamiliar with the process, PASTA comes with support and greater accessibility.
By providing entry points suited to the needs of individual users, including different budgets and levels of expertise, we hope to transcend the boundaries of companies and educational institutions to boost the overall level of cybersecurity.
Car cybersecurity is a challenge beyond the capabilities of individual companies, requiring collaboration across the industry and with educational institutions.
The members we spoke to summed up their efforts: “Seeing people come together through Hack Festa and use PASTA and RAMN to nurture their skills, we can’t help but feel the need to keep building on this momentum.”
Toyota continues its efforts to develop personnel for the future, striving to create a safe, secure mobility society that no single company can achieve.