Central Security Level Assignment for Industrial Control Components
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial control systems face challenges in safeguarding against cyber threats due to their heterogeneous and modular nature, with existing security measures being time-consuming and error-prone, and lacking a systematic way to determine overall security levels, especially in systems providing online access.
Innovation Solution
A security unit that centrally assigns and manages security levels to components of an industrial control system via a data network, allowing for unified security settings and real-time adjustments, with a database to track and output security information and instructions for users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual components or firewalls are configured separately to establish security, then security coverage is improved, but time consumption and error rate increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual security configurations into a single centralized security level assignment. By defining a system security level that automatically propagates to all components, the system merges numerous separate configuration tasks into one unified operation, dramatically reducing configuration time while maintaining comprehensive security coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a universal security level framework that can be applied across all components regardless of their specific functions or manufacturers. This multi-functional approach allows a single security level definition to serve multiple components simultaneously, eliminating the need for individualized security configurations for each component type.
2Reliability
If individual components are configured separately for security, then comprehensive security control is achieved, but operational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the complexity of individual component security configurations into a single centralized security level definition. The system automatically handles the propagation and application of security levels to all components, transforming a complex multi-step configuration process into a simple single-step operation for the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service by automatically assigning and configuring security levels on all components based on the centrally defined system security level. This eliminates the need for users to manually configure each component, reducing operational complexity while maintaining comprehensive security control.
3Productivity
If centralized security level assignment is implemented, then configuration efficiency is improved, but adaptability to specific component requirements may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by allowing each component to receive and apply the centralized security level according to its specific characteristics and requirements. While the system security level is defined centrally, each component can interpret and implement it in a way that is appropriate for its specific function, manufacturer, and security needs, thus maintaining both efficiency and adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A security unit for an industrial control system comprises an interface adapted to communicate with a plurality of components of an industrial control system via a data network, a security assignor adapted to access a first component among the plurality of components via the interface, and further adapted to assign a first security level pertaining to the first component to the first component. The security assignor is further adapted to access a second component among the plurality of components via the interface, and to assign a second security level pertaining to the second component to the second component. The security assignor is adapted to assign the first security level and the second security level to the first component and the second component, respectively, in accordance with a system security level pertaining to the industrial control system.