Secure Element Dongle for Blockchain Transfer From Industrial Hardware
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microcontrollers and low-end microprocessors in industrial systems lack sufficient memory and computational resources to securely implement cryptographic primitives for secure data communication and blockchain integration, making them vulnerable to cyber-attacks that can disrupt supply chains and cause unfair competition.
Innovation Solution
A dongle-based system using a secure element and cryptographic engine interfaces with industrial machines and sensors to generate and securely transfer transactions to a blockchain without human intervention, generating private keys from distributed parameters and ensuring secure storage and communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If microcontrollers and low-end microprocessors are used in industrial systems, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but security against cyber-attacks deteriorates due to insufficient cryptographic resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the cryptographic functionality into separate dedicated hardware modules (secure elements) rather than implementing it within the general-purpose microcontroller. This segmentation allows the microcontroller to remain simple while security functions are handled by specialized components with sufficient computational resources.
Solution Approach 2:
A secure element acts as an intermediary between the microcontroller and the blockchain network, handling all cryptographic operations. The microcontroller communicates security-sensitive data to the secure element, which performs key generation, signing, and encryption operations before returning results to the microcontroller.
2Reliability
If cryptographic primitives are implemented in microcontrollers with limited resources, then security is improved, but memory and computational requirements increase beyond what microcontrollers can provide
Solution Approach 1:
Cryptographic functions are extracted from the microcontroller and implemented in dedicated secure element hardware. This extraction removes the memory and computational burden from the microcontroller, allowing it to operate with limited resources while maintaining strong security through specialized hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses public key cryptography where the public key can be freely copied and distributed to multiple nodes in the blockchain network, while the private key remains securely stored in the secure element. This allows verification without exposing sensitive cryptographic material.
3Productivity
If control systems are connected to share information in supply chains, then productivity and collaboration are improved, but vulnerability to cyber-attacks that can disrupt entire supply chains increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary security measures by generating cryptographic key pairs and signing transactions before data is transmitted to the blockchain. Digital signatures and encryption are applied in advance to prevent unauthorized modification or access, creating inherent security against cyber-attacks before data enters the shared supply chain network.
Solution Approach 2:
The blockchain network provides feedback through its immutable ledger, allowing all supply chain participants to verify the authenticity and integrity of shared data. Any attempt to alter data would be detected through cryptographic verification, creating a feedback mechanism that prevents successful cyber-attacks.
4Measurement precision
If sensors and control systems monitor goods in real-time, then measurement precision and productivity are improved, but the system becomes more susceptible to tampering that can create false information
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cryptographic hashing and signing of sensor data at the source before transmission. Each measurement is immediately secured with a digital signature that binds the data to its origin, preventing later tampering. This preliminary action ensures data integrity before the data enters the communication channel.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses cryptographic verification to change the 'color' or state of data from unverified to verified. Through digital signatures and blockchain confirmation, data transitions from an untrusted state to a trusted state, making it visually or conceptually distinguishable that the data has been authenticated and cannot be tampered with.
Data Source
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Figure 2
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AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a system and a method for acquiring data related to a certain event from a source like a data network gateway or an industrial machine or a set of sensors, extract relevant information from the acquired data, encrypt the information by means of hardware powered security chips and then securely transfer the information to a single or multiple blockchain, or other kind of distributed ledgers, for validation, automatically and without any need of human intervention.