Method of using protocol CRC to implement end to end protection of a CAN message

A system, method, and apparatus are provided for processing packets received over Controller Area Network (CAN) interface where a CAN protocol controller computes a CRC value from header and payload values in a received CAN data frame to verify frame integrity of the received CAN data frame across a physical media layer, and then stores the header and payload values and the CRC value in a memory buffer of the CAN protocol controller so that a host core can compute a reconstructed CRC value from the header and payload values retrieved from the memory buffer, and then compare the reconstructed CRC value to the CRC value retrieved from the memory buffer to verify frame integrity of the received CAN data frame at a transaction layer.