Secure process control communication

Abstract

Securely transmitting data across a one-way data diode interconnecting a process plant and a remote system involves supplying the diode at the sending device at the factory end using the connection keying material to the receiving device at the remote end. The connection keying material is used to securely share the network keying material used to encrypt / decrypt messages or packets transmitted across the diode, and its payload includes data generated by a factory update or reset. Shared network keying material uses connection keying material cyclically, and the cyclic interval may be based on tolerance for lost data and other characteristics of the application, service, or consumer.

Description

[0001] Related References [0002] The present disclosure is related to the following patent applications: Co-owned US Patent Application No. 14 / 507,188, filed Oct. 6, 2014, and entitled "Regional BigData in Process Control Systems;" Commonly owned US Patent Application No. 15 / 274,519 for "Data Analytics Services for Distributed Industrial Performance Monitoring"; US Patent Application No. 15 / 274,233; and commonly owned US Patent Application No. 15 / 332,521, filed October 24, 2016, entitled "Process Device Condition and Performance Monitoring," the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. technical field [0003] The present disclosure relates generally to process plants and process control systems, and more particularly, to security between a local process plant / process control system and a remote system (eg, a pervasive sensing system) serving the local process control plant / system communication. Background technique [0004] Distributed process ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

On the other hand, the interconnection of process plants and / or process control systems with enterprise and / or external networks and systems increases the Risk of network intrusion and / or malicious network attack due to anticipated hazards

Cyber ​​intrusions and malicious cyber-attacks on process plants, networks, and / or control systems can negatively impact the confidentiality, integrity, and / or availability of information assets, which is, in general, a similar hazard to general-purpose computing networks

However, unlike general-purpose computer networks, cyber intrusions of process plants, networks, and / or control systems can also result in damage, destruction, and / or loss of not only plant equipment, products, and other physical assets, but loss of human life

For example, a cyber intrusion may allow a process to become uncontrolled, resulting in explosions, fires, floods, exposure to hazardous materials, etc.

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