SECURE BOOT AND FIRMWARE PROTECTION IN AUTOMOTIVE SEMICONDUCTORS: A REVIEW OF CURRENT APPROACHES

Abstract

The increasing reliance on software-driven vehicles has elevated the importance of firmware security in automotive semiconductors. Secure Boot is a foundational mechanism that ensures only authenticated firmware executes, forming a robust chain of trust from hardware to application code. This review paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Secure Boot architectures, hardware roots of trust, cryptographic enforcement, and secure firmware update mechanisms, with a focus on automotive electronic control units (ECUs). Key challenges—including post-quantum security, formal verification, and supply chain vulnerabilities—are discussed. Emerging research directions, such as control-flow integrity enforcement and multiprocessor ECU security frameworks, are highlighted to guide future development and standardization efforts.