Research and Implementation of Secure Upgrade Method for Embedded Control Software

In order to respond to challenges encountered in the software upgrade of embedded systems due to frequent demand changes and technological iterations, this paper presents the design of a secure software upgrade methodology and process. A software signature and check method based on the hash-based message authentication code (HMAC) algorithm is employed, to effectively identify any tampering of object codes. A specific software update tool is introduced to initiate authorization authentication before software upgrades, alongside authentication of object codes, including names and sizes attribute, thereby preventing the invasion of abnormal files into the file system. A cyclic redundancy check (CRC) method is incorporated to verify the integrity of object codes. Additionally, the design includes a redundant file management method based on double target code loading areas, to mitigate the risk of system malfunction resulting from failed software upgrades. Subsequent practical applications demonstrated the effectiveness of this method in ensuring high security and reliability in the upgrade process of embedded control software.