BMS Certificate Lifecycle Automation for Controller Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
The process of requesting, applying, and renewing security certificates in a building management system is time-consuming and tedious for controllers and client devices.
Innovation Solution
A system utilizing an engineering tool, a remote server, and a mobile device to automate the generation, distribution, and renewal of controller and client certificates within a building management system, enabling efficient and secure certificate management through an intuitive user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual certificate management is used in a building management system, then security is maintained through certificate validation, but the process becomes time-consuming and tedious for controllers and client devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-service certificate management where controllers and client devices can autonomously request, receive, and renew certificates without manual intervention. The engineering tool automatically manages the certificate lifecycle including generation, distribution, and renewal based on expiration monitoring, eliminating the tedious manual process while maintaining security requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically monitoring certificate expiration dates and initiating renewal processes before certificates expire. The engineering tool proactively manages the entire certificate lifecycle, including pre-expiration notifications and automatic renewal requests, preventing security interruptions while saving time.
2Productivity
If automated certificate management is implemented, then efficiency is improved and manual intervention is reduced, but system complexity increases with additional components like engineering tools and remote servers
Solution Approach 1:
The engineering tool serves as an intermediary component between controllers/client devices and the remote server. It manages certificate operations locally while communicating with the server for certificate generation and renewal, distributing system complexity across multiple components rather than concentrating it in one place, thereby improving efficiency without overwhelming single-point complexity.
3Reliability
If certificates are frequently renewed to maintain security, then system security is enhanced, but the management process becomes more tedious and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
Controllers and client devices automatically perform certificate renewal operations without user intervention. The engineering tool monitors expiration dates and initiates renewal processes automatically, allowing frequent certificate updates to maintain security while eliminating the operational burden on users.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic certificate renewal based on expiration monitoring. The engineering tool automatically schedules and executes certificate renewal operations at appropriate intervals before expiration, ensuring continuous security coverage while eliminating manual repetitive tasks through automated periodic execution.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method of providing a plurality of controller certificates for a plurality of controllers within a Building Management System (BMS) includes downloading project information defining the BMS and using the downloaded project information to solicit a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) from each of the plurality of controllers of the BMS. The received CSRs are uploaded to a remote server so that the remote server can generate a corresponding controller certificate for each of the plurality of controllers of the BMS. The generated controller certificates are then downloaded to the corresponding one of the plurality of controllers of the BMS.