Technical Module Access Rights for Secure System Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for integrating technical modules into engineering systems in industries like pharmaceuticals and specialty chemicals face challenges in securely defining and managing functional rights, leading to potential security risks due to inadequate access control, especially for critical installation parts.
Innovation Solution
Storing functional rights for technical modules before integration into the engineering system, with a security check to determine minimal required rights based on user roles, and using authentication and integrity protection mechanisms to ensure secure access and prevent unauthorized manipulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If functional rights are awarded quickly during module integration, then integration speed is improved, but security is worsened due to inadequate access control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining and storing functional rights within the module before integration occurs. The rights are prepared in advance based on the module's technical functions, so that during integration, the engineering system can automatically retrieve and assign these pre-configured rights without manual security assessments, thus maintaining both speed and security
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of standardized functional right definitions that are stored within the module itself. These predefined rights act as a mediator between the module and the engineering system, enabling automatic assignment during integration without requiring manual security evaluations, thereby resolving the contradiction between integration speed and security
2Reliability
If functional rights are awarded restrictively for security, then security is improved, but integration complexity increases due to manual security assessments
Solution Approach 1:
The module performs self-service by containing its own functional right definitions internally. During integration, the module automatically provides its own security credentials and functional right information to the engineering system, eliminating the need for manual security assessments and reducing integration complexity while maintaining restrictive security controls
Solution Approach 2:
Security assessments and functional right definitions are performed in advance during module development and stored within the module. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex manual security evaluations during integration, reducing integration complexity while maintaining security
3Adaptability or versatility
If the same module is integrated into various projects with different functional rights each time, then adaptability is improved, but security risk increases due to lack of consistent access control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by creating a standardized functional right definition that can be consistently applied across multiple projects and modules. The same module can be integrated into various projects while maintaining consistent security controls through the universal functional right definitions stored within the module, enabling both reusability and security consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures homogeneity by using consistent functional right definitions across all module integrations. The same module integrated into different projects receives the same predefined functional rights, ensuring uniform access control and security consistency throughout the enterprise
Data Source
AI summary
A method and technical module in a technical installation, which includes at least one technical function and which is configured for integration into a higher-level control level of the technical installation, wherein functional rights relating to the at least one technical function are stored in the technical module.