Method and system for vehicle authentication of a remote access device

1. A method for a vehicle securely communicating with a remote access device, the method performed by the vehicle and comprising the steps of:

obtaining from a certification authority a certification that an authentic device is associated with a cryptographic key;

utilizing the cryptographic key in cryptographic communication with the remote access device;

determining whether the remote access device is the authentic device based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication; and

communicating further with the remote access device upon determining that the remote access device is the authentic device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote access device is connected to a secure device which performs cryptographic functions of the remote access device in the cryptographic communication.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the secure device securely stores a first cryptographic key and the cryptographic key with which the certification associates the authentic device is a second cryptographic key corresponding to the first cryptographic key.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first cryptographic key is accessible only by the remote access device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote access device requires a password from a user before engaging in the cryptographic communication.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote access device requires biometric authentication of a user before engaging in the cryptographic communication.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the certification comprises a digital certificate.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the certification comprises a digital signature of the certification authority.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the certification authority is authenticated by a second certification authority.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining that the certification authority is authorized to certify the authentic device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a vehicle system of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is performed by a component of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the authentic device has a first cryptographic key and the cryptographic key with which the certification associates the authentic device is a second cryptographic key corresponding to the first cryptographic key.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first cryptographic key is accessible only by the authentic device.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the first cryptographic key is a private cryptographic key of the authentic device and the second cryptographic key is a public cryptographic key of tile authentic device.

16. A system for a vehicle securely communicating with a remote access device, the system comprising:

a configuration element of the vehicle obtaining from a certification authority a certification that an authentic device is associated with a cryptographic key;

a cryptographic computing element utilizing the cryptographic key in cryptographic communication with a prospective component; and

a computing unit determining whether the prospective component is the authentic component based on whether the cryptographic key is successfully utilized in the cryptographic communication.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the remote access device is connected to a secure device which performs cryptographic functions of the remote access device in the cryptographic communication.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the secure device securely stores a first cryptographic key and the cryptographic key with which the certification associates the authentic device is a second cryptographic key corresponding to the first cryptographic key.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the first cryptographic key is accessible only by the remote access device.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the remote access device requires a password form a user before engaging in the cryptographic communication.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the remote access device requires biometric authentication of a user before engaging in the cryptographic communication.

22. The system of claim 16 wherein the certification comprises a digital certificate.

23. The system of claim 16 wherein the certification comprises a digital signature of the certification authority.

24. The system of claim 16 wherein the certification authority is authenticated by a second certification authority.

25. The system of claim 16 , further comprising the step of determining that the certification authority is authorized to certify the authentic device.

26. The system of claim 16 wherein the configuration element is a vehicle system of the vehicle.

27. The system of claim 16 wherein the configuration element is a component of the vehicle.

28. The system of claim 16 wherein the authentic device has a first cryptographic key and the cryptographic key with which the certification associates the authentic device is a second cryptographic key corresponding to the first cryptographic key.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the first cryptographic key is accessible only by the authentic device.

30. The system of claim 28 wherein the first cryptographic key is a private cryptographic key of the authentic device and the second cryptographic key is a public cryptographic key of the authentic device.