Signed Changeset Approval for Industrial Automation Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Incorrect configurations in industrial automation devices can cause safety issues and damage, necessitating secure changeset application methods.
Innovation Solution
An industrial automation device verifies changesets using digital signatures generated with a private key and a pre-stored public key, obtaining approval through either a pre-stored token or user input before applying the changeset.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If digital signature verification is implemented for changesets, then cyber security is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The public key is pre-stored in the industrial automation device before runtime operations. This preliminary action eliminates the need for real-time key exchange or complex cryptographic infrastructure during changeset application, reducing operational complexity while maintaining security verification capabilities
Solution Approach 2:
A cloud service acts as an intermediary that generates and manages the cryptographic key pairs. The cloud service provides the public key to the industrial automation device and receives verified changesets for processing, thereby offloading complex cryptographic management from the edge device while maintaining security
2Productivity
If approval tokens are pre-stored for automated approval, then productivity is improved, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
Approval tokens are pre-stored in the industrial automation device for automated approval of verified changesets. This preliminary authorization enables zero-touch deployment and automated operations, improving productivity while maintaining security through the layered verification process
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the cloud service verifies changesets using the private key and provides approval decisions. This closed-loop feedback ensures that pre-stored tokens are only used when appropriate, balancing automated productivity with security control
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes receiving, by an industrial automation device, a first changeset with a first digital signature generated using a private key, wherein the first changeset includes a data package for modifying a configuration or a state of the industrial automation device; verifying, by the industrial automation device, the first digital signature of the first changeset based on a pre-stored public key corresponding to the private key; obtaining, by the industrial automation device, an approval for applying the first changeset in response to verifying the first digital signature of the first changeset, wherein the approval is obtained by finding a pre-stored approval token corresponding to the first changeset, or by receiving a user input indicating the approval; and applying, by the industrial automation device, the first changeset in response to obtaining the approval.