Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Civil Engineering

Committee Chair

Stephanie Ivey

Committee Member

Aaron Robinson

Committee Member

Martin Lipinski

Abstract

ABSTRACT As Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication becomes an integral component of intelligent transportation systems, ensuring its security is critical for maintaining safety, privacy, and reliability on the road. However, research on V2X security is often overly specialized and complex, limiting more broad collaboration and public scrutiny from the wider cybersecurity community and the public. This lack of understanding affects the further collaborative efforts that could enhance V2X security and the V2X ecosystem. This thesis bridges that gap by applying fundamental computer security principles to V2X protocols, specifically Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) and Cellular V2X (C-V2X). It analyzes their security mechanisms, assesses weaknesses, and explores future innovations to enhance V2X security. Through a protocol-level analysis, this research examines how V2X authentication, encryption, and certificate management operates, identifying potential weaknesses within the used V2X protocols. The study then evaluates the likelihood and impact of various security threats to assess the security posture of DSRC and C-V2X LTE. Each vulnerability is scored based on its likelihood and potential impact, providing a comparative risk assessment of these two protocols. Building on this, the final phase of this research explores future innovations that could potentially strengthen V2X security, focusing on the emerging advancements in cryptography, intrusion detection, and authentication frameworks. By offering clear and structured insights, this thesis aims to simplify the V2X ecosystem, encourage greater collaboration across varied stakeholders, and ultimately contribute to enhancing the security of V2X communications.

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Notes

Embargoed until 04-21-2026

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Available for download on Tuesday, April 21, 2026

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