Automation Component Licensing via One-Way Optical Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing activation and licensing procedures for automation components in critical industrial infrastructure are vulnerable to hacking and user-unfriendly, leading to potential plant outages and security risks.
Innovation Solution
A method involving generating identification information, providing it as a machine-interpretable code, transmitting it via a unidirectional data channel, and using a server to generate and verify alphanumeric license information for secure activation/deactivation of hardware and software functionalities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If USB stick flash memory is used for data exchange between apparatus and license server, then activation and licensing can be performed, but the system becomes vulnerable to hacking and malware attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data exchange function from the bidirectional USB connection and relocates it to a unidirectional optical communication channel. The automation component's identification data is optically transmitted (e.g., via display or LED) to the service device, eliminating the need for physical USB stick insertion and removing the vulnerability to malware while maintaining the licensing activation capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an optical communication channel as an intermediary between the automation component and service device. This intermediary transmits identification data unidirectionally without allowing bidirectional data exchange, thus preventing malware transmission while enabling the licensing process to proceed
2Object-affected harmful factors
If manual typewriting of binary license files is used, then hacking risk is reduced, but user-friendliness and accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical manual typewriting process with an automated optical data transmission system. The identification data is automatically captured by the service device's camera or sensor from the automation component's display, eliminating manual keyboard input while maintaining security through unidirectional communication
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses optical copying (via camera or sensor) to capture the identification data displayed on the automation component and transfer it to the service device. This copying mechanism is more accurate and user-friendly than manual typewriting while maintaining the security benefits of avoiding USB connections
3Productivity
If USB stick flash memory is connected to offline automation component, then licensing data can be transferred, but the infrastructure remains vulnerable to attacks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data transfer function from the USB stick medium and implements it through unidirectional optical communication. This allows licensing data to be transferred efficiently without requiring physical USB stick connections to offline devices, maintaining productivity while eliminating the security vulnerability of USB interfaces in critical infrastructure
Data Source
AI summary
A method for activating or deactivating at least one hardware- and/or software functionality of an automation component having an input unit and an output unit includes: generating an identification information of the automation component; providing the identification information as a first machine interpretable code on the output unit; registering the provided first code using a service device via a reaction free, unidirectional data channel; transmitting the identification information from the service device to a server; generating a first license information using the server; transmitting the first license information as an alphanumeric data sequence of predetermined character length from the server to the service device; inputting the output first license information into the automation component using the input unit; checking the plausibility of the first license information using the automation component; activating or deactivating the hardware- and/or software functionality upon successful checking of the plausibility of the first license information.