Master of Science, The Ohio State University, 2024, Computer Science and Engineering

With the rise of car infotainment systems, the integration of smartphones with in-car displays has become increasingly prevalent. CarPlay, as one of the popular systems, is highly favored by users and is equipped in many vehicles. The Magic Brand Magic Box is an innovative Android-based device designed to interface with a car's CarPlay-enabled USB port, enabling the projection of its own user interface onto the car's display. However, this capability raises significant safety concerns, as it allows activities typically restricted while driving, such as watching videos on car screens. This thesis aims to reverse engineer the Magic Box to understand the mechanisms by which it communicates through the CarPlay interface. By analyzing the device's hardware and software, as well as referencing partial CarPlay protocol documents found online, we seek to uncover the principles behind its functionality and explore potential vulnerabilities in the Apple CarPlay system that may have been exploited. We aim to provide a detailed insight into the process of Android reverse engineering, offering valuable knowledge for researchers and practitioners interested in similar endeavors.

Committee: Keith Redmill (Advisor); Zhiqiang Lin (Advisor) Subjects: Computer Engineering; Computer Science