Security Certificate Manager for Safety-Critical Function Chains
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Solution Overview
Problem
The certification and recertification of safety-critical function chains with multiple components are complex and time-consuming, requiring extensive technical testing and evaluation, especially when security-relevant changes occur, leading to prolonged downtime due to the need for comprehensive revalidation.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a security certificate manager to automate the certification process by checking component and interface certificates, ensuring compatibility and sufficiency of security levels, thereby simplifying and expediting the certification and recertification of safety-critical function chains.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional certification procedures are used to ensure security requirements are met, then security reliability is improved, but certification time and process complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the certification process into distinct components: component certificates for individual components and interface certificates for communication interfaces. This segmentation allows independent verification of each component and interface, enabling parallel processing and avoiding the need to recertify entire chains when single components are replaced, thus reducing certification time while maintaining security reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-certifying individual components and interfaces before they are integrated into functional chains. Component certificates and interface certificates are issued in advance, allowing rapid assembly and certification of new chains without requiring complete retesting, thereby significantly reducing certification time while ensuring security requirements are met
2Reliability
If comprehensive technical testing is performed on all components in a safety-critical functional chain, then security reliability is improved, but device complexity and testing effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the complex certification process into manageable segments by introducing component certificates for individual components and interface certificates for communication interfaces. This segmentation simplifies the overall process by allowing independent verification of each element, reducing the complexity of managing comprehensive testing across entire functional chains while maintaining security reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces certificates as intermediary documents that mediate between components/interfaces and the certification authority. These certificates serve as standardized verification mechanisms, simplifying the certification process by providing a uniform method to verify security requirements without requiring complex custom testing procedures for each component, thereby reducing process complexity while ensuring reliability
3Adaptability or versatility
If any component in a safety-critical functional chain is changed, then system adaptability is improved, but the operating license is invalidated requiring recertification
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the functional chain into independently certifiable components and interfaces, each with its own certificate. When a component is replaced or modified, only that component's certificate needs to be updated and re-verified, rather than recertifying the entire chain. This segmentation enables rapid adaptability while minimizing downtime and recertification requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables discarding and recovering by allowing individual component certificates to be invalidated and replaced when components are changed, while the certificates of unchanged components remain valid. This selective renewal approach maintains system adaptability by allowing component replacement without requiring complete chain recertification, significantly reducing downtime while preserving security integrity
Data Source
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AI summary
A security certificate manager (6) for a safety-critical function chain (1) with components (2) for providing a security function, wherein the security certificate manager (6) automatically releases component security certificates (CSCs) and/or component interface security certificates (CISCs) for the safety-critical function chain (1). A secure communication link (CCL) can be provided between the components (2) of the safety-critical function chain (1).