Safety Control Restriction Against Cyber-Attacks in Industrial Zones

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional integrated industrial systems are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, which can compromise the safety instrumented system by breaching security measures in individual zones, potentially leading to loss of control rights and compromising safety protocols.

Innovation Solution

A control device with a defense unit that restricts functions of the safety instrumented system based on detection results from a detector, using a setting list to specify countermeasures for identified cyber-attacks, thereby preventing unauthorized access and maintaining system integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If security countermeasures are applied to each zone individually, then the system can maintain operational flexibility and communication between zones, but the system becomes vulnerable to cyber-attacks that breach individual zone defenses

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvezone communication flexibilityVSAvoidcyber-security defense capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a barrier device as an intermediary component between zones that enables controlled communication while maintaining security isolation. The barrier device acts as a mediator that allows necessary data exchange while blocking cyber-attacks, thus resolving the contradiction between operational flexibility and security defense capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system divides the industrial control network into multiple isolated zones with defined security boundaries. Each zone maintains its operational independence while the barrier device provides selective connectivity, enabling both zone-specific security measures and controlled inter-zone communication

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Extent of automation

If the safety instrumented system communicates with the host system through the distributed control system, then operational monitoring is enabled, but cyber-attacks can reach the safety instrumented system through this communication path

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoperational monitoring capabilityVSAvoidcyber-attack exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The barrier device serves as an intermediary that enables the safety instrumented system to monitor operational status while isolating it from direct communication with the host system. This allows the safety function to receive necessary operational information without being exposed to cyber-attacks transmitted through the distributed control system communication path

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If comprehensive security countermeasures are implemented across all zones, then cyber-security is improved, but system complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecyber-security defense capabilityVSAvoidsecurity system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements security countermeasures with local quality by placing barrier devices strategically at critical interfaces between zones rather than uniformly across all components. This approach provides comprehensive security coverage at key vulnerability points while avoiding unnecessary complexity in areas where security risks are lower

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10956567B2Control device, integrated industrial system, and control method thereof

Publication Date: 2021.03.23 YOKOGAWA ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A control device of an integrated industrial system which is established in a plant, the control device includes a defender configured to perform a countermeasure of restricting at least a part of functions of a self-device, based on a detection result of a detector which detects a cyber-attack from at least one of inside and outside to the integrated industrial system.