Abstract: A method and apparatus provide security for a network-connected vehicle (or other networked environment) in which a predefined set of permitted operations relating to protected resources can be initiated remotely from elsewhere in the network, while security is maintained for the protected resources (for example, an engine performance optimization control unit or air conditioning control unit within a vehicle) by preventing remote initiation of any other operations on a data processing unit which is connected to the protected resources. One of a pair of gateway components runs on each of two data processing units within the vehicle (or other environment), the first processing unit being connected to the vehicle's device control units and the second processing unit being connected to the external network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus provide security for a network-connected vehicle (or other networked environment) in which a predefined set of permitted operations relating to protected resources can be initiated remotely from elsewhere in the network, while security is maintained for the protected resources (for example, an engine performance optimisation control unit or air conditioning control unit within a vehicle) by preventing remote initiation of any other operations on a data processing unit which is connected to the protected resources. One of a pair of gateway components runs on each of two data processing units within the vehicle (or other environment), the first processing unit being connected to the vehicle's device control units and the second processing unit being connected to the external network.

Abstract: Provided are apparatus and a method for establishing communications between a Web client computer in a vehicle and a Web server computer connected to the Internet or an intranet, initiated from a remote Web Browser. The Web Browser sends a request to the server, which invokes a process at the server causing a SMS message to be sent to a telephone connected to the client computer. This SMS message includes an identification of the server process (such as a URL) and causes the client computer to establish communications with the server. This allows the Browser to interact with the client computer via a standard Browser request without the overheads of security exposure of requiring the client to be a Web server. The invention is useful for allowing a remote Browser to interact with a computer controlling a vehicle's electronic control systems.