Fast and efficient context-aware embedding generation using fuzzy hashing for in-vehicle network intrusion detection

In the rapidly advancing field of automotive cybersecurity, the protection of In-Vehicle Networks (IVNs) against cyber threats is crucial. Current deep learning solutions offer robustness but at the cost of high computational demand and potential privacy breaches due to the extensive IVN data required for model training. Our study proposes a novel intrusion detection system (IDS) specifically designed for IVNs that prioritizes computational efficiency and data privacy. Utilizing fuzzy hashing techniques, we generate context-aware embeddings that effectively preserve the privacy of IVN data. Among the machine learning algorithms evaluated, the Support Vector Machine (SVM) emerged as the most effective, particularly when paired with TLSH hash embeddings. This combination achieved notable detection performance, as substantiated by T-SNE visualizations that demonstrate a distinct segregation of normal and attack traffic within the vector space. To validate the effectiveness and practicality of our proposed IDS, we conducted exhaustive experiments on the well-known car-hacking dataset and the more complex ROAD dataset, which includes diverse and sophisticated attack scenarios. Our findings reveal that the proposed lightweight IDS not only demonstrates high detection accuracy but also maintains this performance within the computational constraints of current IVN systems. The system's capability to operate effectively in real-time environments makes it a viable solution for modern automotive cybersecurity needs.