Security Aspects of ISO 15118 Plug and Charge Payment

Abstract: For the rise of electric vehicles, especially for long-distance driving, minimizing charging times is vital. While multiple standards for DC fast charging exist, the leading standard in Europe is ISO 15118. In theory, this standard is accompanied by a variety of security controls, ensuring the authenticity and confidentiality of charging communication, as well as the exchange of payment information. In practice, these security controls are insufficient for effectively securing charging communication. In this paper, we go through all security controls defined in ISO 15118 and demonstrate their shortcomings. Most notably, we present a previously unpublished vulnerability in the plug and charge functionality of ISO 15118. We provide a proof-of-concept implementation of this vulnerability, which, allows a vehicle to be charged while a second, victim vehicle is billed for it. Additionally, we define an alternative plug and charge authentication scheme, which requires fewer efforts towards certificate enrollment and promises to be more resilient and future-proof. Our findings should be considered when implementing and advancing the standard, as the mitigation of the discovered vulnerability is critical for the security of fast charging.