Signed Changeset Approval for Secure Industrial Automation Updates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation devices face safety issues and potential damage due to incorrect configurations, necessitating secure modification methods to ensure safety and compliance with security standards like IEC 62443-4-2 SL4.
Innovation Solution
An industrial automation device receives a changeset with a digital signature generated using a private key, verifies the signature using a pre-stored public key, and applies the changeset only after obtaining approval through a pre-stored approval token or user input, ensuring secure configuration modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If configuration changes are applied directly without verification, then productivity is improved through faster deployment, but reliability deteriorates due to safety issues and potential device damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary verification actions before configuration changes are applied. The system verifies the origin and integrity of changesets through digital signature validation using public keys, and obtains approval tokens before allowing changes to take effect. This preliminary verification ensures device safety while maintaining deployment efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary approval mechanism between configuration changes and their application. The approval token acts as a mediator that validates whether a changeset should be applied, separating the deployment process into distinct phases: verification, approval, and application. This intermediary layer enhances reliability without significantly impacting productivity.
2Reliability
If digital signature verification is implemented for all changesets, then reliability is improved through enhanced security, but device complexity increases due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service security mechanisms where the industrial automation device autonomously verifies digital signatures and checks approval tokens without requiring external intervention for each changeset. The device uses pre-stored public keys to validate signatures and automatically checks for corresponding approval tokens, reducing the perceived complexity while maintaining high security standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary setup of public keys and approval token validation rules before operation. This preliminary configuration reduces the complexity of ongoing verification processes, as the device only needs to perform standardized checks against pre-established criteria rather than implementing complex verification logic from scratch.
3Reliability
If approval tokens are required for all changesets, then reliability is improved through controlled access, but ease of operation deteriorates due to additional approval steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service approval mechanisms where previously approved changesets can be automatically applied using stored approval tokens without requiring repeated user intervention. The system autonomously matches changesets with their corresponding approval tokens and applies changes when matches are found, maintaining access control while improving operational ease for routine changes.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Disclosed is a method comprising receiving, by an industrial automation device, a first changeset with a first digital signature generated using a private key, wherein the first changeset comprises 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.