This curated list helps a reverse engineering CAN bus devices with lightly specializing in automotive embedded controller software and communication understanding.
Note
Items marked as "🔝" are highly recommended.
Contents
- 🔝CarHackingTools - Collection of Common Car Hacking Tools a scripts collection to help jump start car research and hacking.
- 🔝Caring Caribou - A friendly car security exploration tool for the CAN bus.
- 🔝CAN_Reverse_Engineering - Automated Payload Reverse Engineering Pipeline for the Controller Area Network (CAN) protocol.
- 🔝carhacking - Car hacking scripts and docs collection.
- ReCAN - Reverse engineering of Controller Area Networks.
- parse_can_logs - Parse CAN logs and visualize data streams on plot.
- reversegear - Offline Reverse Engineering Tools for Automotive Networks.
- 🔝CANalyzat0r - Security analysis toolkit for proprietary car protocols.
- 🔝CANToolz - Black-box CAN network analysis framework.
- GVRET - Generalized Electric Vehicle Reverse Engineering Tool (Arduino FW).
- UDSim - Unified Diagnostic Services Simulator and Fuzzer (successor of uds-server).
- uds-server - CAN UDS Simulator and Fuzzer.
- CANalyse - A vehicle network analysis and attack tool.
- canhack - A low-level CAN protocol hacking library.
- canDrive - Tools for hacking your car.
- Carpunk - CAN injection toolkit and successor of CANghost.
- CANghost - Automated Script For Hacking Into CAN Bus.
- canTot - Quick and dirty canbus h4xing framework.
- CANanalyze - This framework can be used to interact with automotive protocols like CAN/ISOTP/UDS.
- Scapy - Python-based interactive packet manipulation program & library. Supports CAN/ISOTP/UDS/GMLAN plus many other protocols.
- CAN-RE-Tool - Reverse engineering tool for systems based on CAN bus communications.
- 🔝can-explorer - A CAN bus visualization tool to aid in reverse engineering.
Test equipment and simulators
- ECU-simulator - Tool that simulates some vehicle diagnostic services. It can be used to test OBD-II dongles or tester tools that support the UDS (ISO 14229) and ISO-TP (ISO 15765-2) protocols.
- ELM327-emulator - ELM327 Emulator for testing software interfacing OBDII via ELM327 adapter supporting multi-ECU simulation.
Protocols
- DDT4All - Tool to create your own ECU parameters screens and connect to a CAN network with a cheap ELM327 interface.
- ELM327SLCAN - ELM327 based vehicle's CAN bus sniffer.
- Arduino-OBD2-Async - Arduino OBD library with asynchronous data requesting.
- CAN-Shark - Working with OBD PIDs from Arduino + MCP2515 shield.
- OBD2-Scantool - A python scantool to read OBD2 info from cars.
- O2OO - OBD-II compliant car diagnostic tool. It reads sensor data from a car into an sqlite database.
- freediag - Free diagnostic software for OBD-II compliant motor vehicles.
- pyvit - Python Vehicle Interface Toolkit (archived).
UDS
ISO 14229 Standard
- python-UDSonCAN - Python implementation of UDS ISO-14229 standard.
- uds-c - Unified Diagnostics Service (UDS) and OBD-II C Library.
- iso14229 - C implementation of UDS ISO-14229 server and client for embedded systems.
ISO-TP
ISO 15765-2 Standard
- isotp-c - An implementation of the ISO-TP (ISO15765-2) CAN protocol in C.
- python-can-IsoTP - Python implementation of the ISO-TP (ISO15765-2) CAN protocol.
- CanTp - Implementation of the CanTp module (ISO 15765-2), according to AUTOSAR specification v4.4.0.
- aioisotp - ISO-TP implemenation for asyncio Python.
SAE J1939 Standard
- J1939-CANBUS - Supported Engines CAT, Perkins, Wartsalla, MTU, VOLVO.
- J1939-Framework - Framework to work with J1939 Frames used in CAN bus in bus, car and trucks industries.
- python-j1939 - SAE J1939 support dependent on python-can package. Provides codec and filtering by PGN but not full SPN decoding.
- can-utils with J1939 support - Fork of can-utils with a few additional tools for J1939.
- test-can-j1939 - How to use CAN J1939 on linux.
- libj1939 - Library to work with J1939 Frames (intended to be used in microcontrollers).
- Pretty-J1939 - Python libs and scripts for pretty-printing J1939 logs.
- TruckDevil - A tool and framework for interacting with and assessing ECUs that use J1939 for communications on the CANBUS.
- python-can-j1939 - Package provides SAE J1939 support for Python developers.
- Open-SAE-J1939 - SAE J1939 protocol free to use for embedded systems or PC with CAN-bus.
- embr::j1939 - Lean, portable J1939 library for embedded MCUs.
SAE J2534 Standard
JCanalog - Easy To Use J2534 Vehicle Logger (left for history).- j2534-tcp - Virtual J2534 driver over TCP/IP.
- SharpWrap2534 - The Ultimate J2534 Wrapper Suite.
- gocanflasher - Trionic 5/7/8 CANbus flasher with J2534 support.
Utils
Common
- 🔝cantools - Collection of CLI tools for the CAN bus network.
- BUSMASTER - An Open Source Software tool to simulate, analyze and test data bus systems such as CAN.
- signalbroker-server - Tool to read and write CAN/LIN/flexray and other buses using gRPC which allows usage of preferred language.
- CANiBUS - CAN Device Vehicle Research Server (OpenGarages.org).
- 🔝Linux CAN Utils - Linux-CAN / SocketCAN user space useful utils.
- CAN support in Linux - Linux kernel support for CAN hardware interfaces.
- SocketCAN - Linux kernel support (kernel >= 2.6).
- J1939 - Linux kernel support (kernel >= 5.4) also see can-j1939 kernel module.
- elmcan - Linux SocketCAN kernel driver for ELM327 based devices (kernel >= 6.0).
- can-isotp - Linux Kernel Module for ISO 15765-2:2016 CAN transport protocol (part of the Linux kernel >= 5.10).
- gs_usb - Linux/Windows CAN driver based on WCID for Geschwister Schneider USB/CAN devices and candleLight USB CAN interfaces.
- CANdevStudio from GENIVI - CAN simulation software using a drag-and-drop style GUI with interconnected functional blocks.
- CANAL-View - Qt GUI for TouCAN USB to CAN bus converter.
- wxCAN-Sniffer - CAN bus sniffer (PC side) with animation and chart.
- CANLogger - CAN bus logger and analyzer tool.
- Seeed-USB-CAN-Analyzer - Closed source binary for noname Chinese USB-CAN adapter.
- CANtact-app - Desktop application for CANtact hardware interface.
- SavvyCAN - Cross-platform Qt based GUI analysis tool. Supports SocketCAN compatible interfaces.
- openCanSuite - Set of tools for analyzing, simulating and visualizing a CAN system.
- Plotter and Scanner from SmartGauges - Scanning and visualizing tool for automotive systems.
- ICSim - Instrument Cluster Simulator for SocketCAN by OpenGarages.
- CANgaroo - Qt-based CAN bus analyzer software.
- CAN-X - C# CAN bus analyzer software.
- CAN-Monitor-qt - Universal CAN bus monitoring program.
- CANBUS-Analyzer - Development tool/companion software for graphs, displays and analyzes both known and unknown CANBUS packets.
- SLSS-CANAnalyser - SLSS CANAnalyser is Windows CAN-Bus-Analysis-Software to show, record and evaluate CAN-Bus signals.
- TSMaster - Powerful open environment for automotive bus monitoring, simulation, testing, diagnostics, calibration and so on (Closed source).
- CAN++ - Windows program for receiving and transmitting CAN bus messages. After import of CAN data base files (
*.dbc or *.kcd) CAN signals are shown in symbolic form. In addition they can be shown as graphics (wave forms).
- CANcool - CAN bus Analyser and Simulation Software with CAN-FD support.
- Kayak - Java-based CAN traffic GUI analysis tool (archived).
- PlotJuggler - The Powerful Time Series Visualization Tool (With panda hardware, cabana and plotjuggler, you can quickly RE the entire car in a few days).
- PlotJuggler::CAN-dbs - Plugin to visualize CAN .dbs (or .dbc?) files in PlotJuggler.
- OpenSourceLogger - Data acquisition software that can collect measurement, analyze CAN-messages and send SAE-J1939 messages to other ECUs.
- 🔝cantools - CAN BUS tools in Python.
- 🔝python-can - CAN package provides controller area network support for Python developers.
- strym - Real time CAN data logging and visualization tool to work with USB-CAN Interface.
- canviewer - GUI program that allows the inspection of incoming can-bus messages, either from recorder can-bus data or live data.
- can4python - A package for handling CAN bus signals on Linux SocketCAN.
- Python-Vector-CANoe - Control Vector CANoe API by Python.
- CanCat - Swiss army knife of CAN often used in cars and building automation, etc.
- Pyfuzz_can - May be used in research to inject messages into a truck and cause acceleration, cluster spoofing, and degrade brake performance.
- Robotell-USB-CAN-Python - Python program for Robotell USB-CAN Adapter.
- python-socketcan-monitor - Script to display data from a CAN bus over network interfaces.
- CanoPy - A python gui used to visualize and plot message payloads in real time.
- PythonVectorXL - Complete python ctypes wrapper lib for the Vector XL Driver Library. Contains the #define instructions, struct/union typdef instructions and function definitions (loads the DLL as well) of the 'vxlapi.h' (Windows only). Inspired by
python-can.
- py4can - Python utility to send and receive CAN messages through CANalyzer.
CAN-over-IP
- cannelloni - SocketCAN over Ethernet tunnel.
- tincan - Visualization of CAN bus traffic via UDP interface.
- pican - TCP CAN reader.
- canny - Simple CAN-over-IP gateway.
Other Utils
- Seeed-USB-CAN-Linux - CLI Linux Support for noname Chinese USB-CAN adapter.
- opendlv-device-can-replay - OpenDLV Microservice to replay captured CAN frames to a CAN interface.
- c0f - CAN bus fingerprinting tool is designed to analyze CAN bus traffic and fingerprint the Maker and Model.
- canqv - Quick CAN frame inspection using CAN_RAW.
- Candle.NET - .NET wrapper for the Candle API for candlelight CAN bus gateways/analysers (e.g. CANable, CANtact, etc).
- canSerializer - Lib for serializing and deserializing CAN frames for transmission over a non CAN transport layer (Can be used to transport CAN frames over UART, SPI, etc).
Libraries
- libwecan - Header only lib to encode and decode CAN signal.
- VCAN - A tiny virtual CAN and CAN-FD bus library in C.
- IMCTFD - Improved Microchip CAN Teensy FlexData Library MCP2517FD.
- go-socketcan - Golang library for SocketCAN.
- Qt CAN Bus - A multiplatform C++ plugin based library with support for various CAN Devices (SocketCAN, Sys Tec, PEAK, Virtual).
- JavaCAN - A Java binding library for SocketCAN with support for RAW, BCM and ISO-TP sockets using epoll-based event-driven IO.
- iso15765-canbus - Implementation of ISO15765-2 in C.
Examples
- CAN-Examples - Example C code for CAN Sockets on Linux.
- socketcan-demo - Set of example programs which highlight how to make use of SocketCAN on Linux.
CAN Database
DBC
DBC - The de facto standard for CAN databases is the DBC file format developed by Vector Informatik GmbH. It is a proprietary format in that no official public documentation or specification is available.
- DBC Format Specification v1.0 - Leaked DBC file format specification v1.0 (the obsolete specification).
- DBC Format - Brief explanations about various sections, many examples and explains multiplexed signals well.
- DBC File Explained - A Simple Intro to DCB file format.
- J1939 and DBC introduction - An Introduction to J1939 and DBC files.
- 🔝cabana - CAN visualizer and DBC maker (a tool developed to view raw CAN data; one use for this is creating and editing CAN Dictionaries (DBC files)).
KCD
- KCD - An open format to describe communication relationships in CAN. similar to DBC format but written in XML.
Converters and Parsers
- 🔝cantools by Erik Moqvist - CAN tools in python for DBC, KCD, SYM, ARXML 4 and CDD file parsing.
- cantools by Andreas Heitmann - A set of libraries and command line tools for handling ASC, BLF, CLG, VSB, MDF, and DBC files.
- CanDB - Generate CAN dbc file with OEM defined CAN matrix (xls).
- canmatrix - Converting CAN Database Formats .arxml .dbc .dbf .kcd.
- CANBabel - Translator for several CAN description formats (supports KCD r/w and DBC read).
- can4python - A useful package for showing the contents of KCD files (also those converted from DBC files).
- dbcc - DBC to C (and CSV, JSON and XML) compiler using the mpc parser combinator library.
- convert_dbc_to_cpp_file - Util for convert dbc (canbus) to cpp(cplusplus) function.
DBC only
- Vector DBC - Library to access CAN Databases (aka CANdb, aka DBC files) from Vector Informatik.
- dbcppp - C/C++ DBC file parser/tool.
- can_decoder - API module for decoding raw CAN bus data to physical values using a DBC CAN database.
- CANdb from GENIVI - Library for parsing DBC - CAN bus database description formats.
- dbc-parser - A Flex/Bison/Lemon parser/scanner for DBC files.
- Vector CANdb++ DBC file parser - Modified version of the dbc file parser of eerimoq.
- dbc_reader - Virtual can bus reader from dbc file (python).
- CAN_BUS_DBC_VIEWER - GUI based CAN bus dbc viewer.
- dbcview - DBC visualization tool - plots a graph of sending and receiving nodes linked by messages.
- VectorDbcChecker - Vector DBC Checker a Python GUI application for checking DBC files for messages duplication, missed network nodes, signals overlap in message, etc.
- pydbc - AST generator for dbc format.
- pydbc - Process vehicle network descriptions (CAN .dbc files).
Hardware
All kind of HW like CAN bus USB2CAN dongles, loggers, sniffers, adapters, etc.
ARM
- USB_CAN-FD on ATSAME51 - This is an Open Source Hardware USB to CAN-FD Interface (ATSAME51J).
- SuperCAN - An open source USB to CAN-FD protocol firmware (ATSAME51).
- FlexCAN - Arduino library for CAN on Teensy 3.1, 3.2, 3.5, and 3.6.
- ELM327 - Open-source ELM327 OBD adapter based on LPC1517JDB48.
- Open-OBD2-datalogger - NXP Kinetis E datalogger that saves live engine data to SD card (Visualization is done with HTML5 and JavaScript).
- CANBootloader - GUI + CAN booloader protocol.
STM32
- 🔝panda - It supports 3x CAN, 2x LIN, and 1x GMLAN (and it has J2534 over USB on host side). It uses an STM32F413 (Using a panda with cabana provides the best RE and development suites for CANBUS).
- 🔝STM32duino_CAN_Library - CanBus library for STM32F103 running on STM32duino.
- 🔝pcan_pro_x - PEAK PCAN PRO/PRO FD firmware for STM32F4 based boards.
- CANnon - A versatile CAN bootloader for the STM32 and friends.
- hadoucan-fw on STM32H750 - Firmware for SM-1301 USB-CAN FD adapter based on.
- CANCAN - CAN recorder based on STM32F407ZGTx.
- stm32-CAN-bus-example-HAL-API - A simple example of CAN bus communications between two STM32 microcontrollers using the updated HAL API functions.
- CAN-to-USB-lawicel-for-stm32 - CAN to USB adapter using Lawicel/Canhacker protocol based on STM32F103.
- stm32-slcan - SLCAN compatible firmware for BluePill based on STM32f103C8T6.
- cantact-pro-hw - Hardware for the CANtact Pro, use cantact-pro-fw as firmware.
- STM32-CAN-Busadapter - CAN adapter on MCU stm32f303cb.
- Ethernet-CAN converter - Based on STM32F407.
- CANBUS_UART - CANBUS to UART for STM32F1 (BluePill and Nucleo boards).
- Arduino-STM32-CAN - Can communication example for Arduino Core STM32.
- eXoCAN - CAN Library for the STM32F103 aka Blue Pill.
- CAN-BUS-Man-In-The-Middle - Dual CAN MitM-device based on STM32F105.
- CAN-Bus-Arduino_Core_STM32 - Lowlevel CanBUS Example for Arduino Core STM32.
- BudgetCANv2 - FW for use on STM32 microcontroller to implement FDCAN and USB using the STM32 HAL. Tested on BudgetCANv2-HW.
- CanDybugFW - Embedded firmware of the CanDybug, a CAN bus traffic analyzer which uses a custom protocol over a USB serial port emulation (STM32F302/STM32F042).
- CAN-USB-dongle-fw - A slcan firmware for the CVRA CAN to USB dongle (STM32F302).
- zubax_babel - High performance CAN-USB/CAN-UART adapter + UAVCAN devboard (STM32F37x).
- CAN-RS485-adapter - CAN-RS485 Adapter (STM32F103).
- vector_can - Vector VN1610 protocol implementation for cheap STM32F407/405 hardware (Two CAN channel).
- CAN_OMEGA - Ultimate CAN Bus hardware for Car hacking based on STM32F411. Full Featured firmware & software.
STM32F0x2 based HW
- candleLight_fw - Compatible firmware for candleLight, cantact, canable, CANAlyze, VulCAN.
- CANsniffer on STM32F042 - CANbus sniffer less complicated than existing commercial products.
- candleLight - KiCAD project of usb-can adapter based on STM32F0.
- cantact-hw - Hardware design files for the CANtact tool, use cantact-fw as firmware source.
- cantact - Drivers and Command Line Interface for CANtact tools.
- USB2CAN - Compact and isolated USB-to-CAN Adapter.
- CANAlyze - An open source, native CAN interface for Linux that can be built entirely using open source tools, use canalyze-fw as firmware source.
- Cantact FW - Cantact FirmWare by x893.
- ELM329 - Open-source ELM329 OBD adapter based on STM32F042.
- OBD2CAN - Bridge between any OBD2 compliant vehicle and the CAN bus interface (firmware is targeted for the STM32F072, and uses ChibiOS as a RTOS).
- pcan_cantact - XCAN firmware for CANtact ( CANable ) or any other similar boards based on STM32F042.
- kvaser_cantact - Xvaser LL v2 firmware for CANtact/CANable or any other similar boards based on STM32F042.
Arduino
- 🔝arduino-canhacker - CanHacker (lawicel) CAN adapter on Arduino + MCP2515.
- open-usb-can from Fabio Baltieri - CAN-to-USB dongle based on ATMega32U and MCP2515.
- Arduino-CAN-bus-SD-logger - Arduino script to log CAN bus information to SD card. Mainly focused on J1939.
- Arduino-canbus-monitor - Can bus monitoring tool based on arduino and can bus shield. Implements CAN ASCII/SLCAN protocol compatible with Lawicel CAN232/CANUSB.
- Arduino-psa-comfort-can-adapter - Arduino sketch to operate new PSA (Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Opel) comfort devices (CAN2010) on old BSI CAN-BUS (CAN2004).
- epasuino - Arduino based Speed sensitive electric power steering for automobiles Speed sensitive electric power steering for automobiles.
- carfuino - Arduino based Automotive performance computer with Megasquirt integration.
- W203-canbus - Arduino project for W211/W219 W203/W209 Mercedes (bluetooth audio control and more).
- CANBus-Triple - The car hacking platform based on AVR and MCP2515 works with this firmware.
- GVRET - Generalized Electric Vehicle Reverse Engineering Tool (Arduino FW).
- open-source-can-bridge - Gateway with several CAN interfaces based on Xmega.
- arduino-mcp2515 - Arduino MCP2515 CAN interface library.
- slcanuino - USB-CAN (SocketCAN) sketch for Arduino CAN-BUS shield.
- CITM02 - CAN In The Middle (CITM) the Dual channel CANBUS adapter built around Arduino.
- arduino-OBD2 - Arduino library for reading OBD-II data from your car over CAN bus.
- arduino-ecu-logger - Arduino-based OBD2 engine monitor and data logger.
Espressif Systems (ESP8266, ESP32)
- ESP-IDF-CANBus-Monitor - Monitor Canbus traffic ESP32.
- connected-car - Connecting a Nissan e-NV200 (or Leaf) to MQTT.
- PSASteeringWheelAdapter - ESP32 based steering wheel adapter for Peugeot and Citroen cars.
- esp32-slcan - ESP32 slcan compatible device.
- esp32s3-slcan - SLCAN implementation for ESP32-S3 (based on esp32-slcan).
- ESP32-Arduino-CAN - Arduino CAN-Bus library for ESP32.
- ESP32_CAN_Interface - Wireless CAN-Interface for the ESP32 which uses the cannelloni protocol to send CAN-Frames via UDP over an Wi-Fi tunnel.
- esp32_canbus_gateway - CAN module on esp32 + tja1050 coded on micropython.
- esp32-cantroller - ESP32-S2-WROVER/WROOM based CANBUS controller thingy.
- esp32-canbus-logger - CAN bus logger on uSD-card based on ESP32.
- 🔝ESP32_CANViewer - ESP32 based CAN interface for your webbrowser.
- esp-idf-can2http - CANbus to http bridge using ESP32.
- esp32-obd2-emulator - Open-source OBD-II emulator based on an ESP32 + CAN transceiver IC, controllable via WiFi through a simple web UI (or via API).
- ESP32RET - CAN Reverse engineering tool for ESP32 based boards (unmaintained).
- ESP32S3RET - CAN Reverse engineering tool for ESP32-S3 based boards.
- esp32_obd2 - Simplified OBD2 layer to run on top of the esp32_can library that supports the newer ESP32-S3 (Arduino library).
- ESP32_OBD2_Emulator - Simple OBD2 car emulator which runs on ESP32-S3 (replies to all OBD2 requests with dummy data).
- RejsaCAN-ESP32 - ESP32-S3 board with CAN interface.
- RejsaCAN-ESP32-C6 - Example code that is tested and runs on the new ESP32-C6 that has TWO built in CAN controllers.
- CAN-wizard - CAN bus sniffer on esp32/esp32-c3 + SN65HVD230. Is developed using ESP-IDF and implement serial control console.
SBC
SBC - Single Board Computers.
- beaglebone_black_socketcan - How to get access to the CAN bus on a BeagleBone Black via socketcan interface.
- rpi-can-logger - Project to log CAN bus data from a PiCAN2 and a GPS module.
- CANoPi - CAN interface for Raspberry Pi Zero.
Others HW
- Please follow this root-repo for lastest updates.
- The another awesome list :arrow_forward: CAN ID collections :arrow_backward: also might be useful.
- Also might be useful this curated list of awesome tools and resources for LIN bus reverse engineering, LIN hardware development and debugging.