Temporary Access Privilege Escalation in Industrial Control Programs
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Solution Overview
Problem
In industrial automation environments, technicians face challenges in accessing elevated privileges for isolated machines without a reliable network connection to central security authorities, leading to security breaches and inability to complete repairs, as existing solutions either compromise security or restrict temporary access.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a technician requests a temporary escalation of privileges by generating an encrypted string, which is then authenticated by an administrator, providing a temporary password for accessing elevated functions, ensuring secure and temporary access without compromising original privileges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If technicians are granted elevated privileges to access isolated machines for repairs, then the ability to complete repairs is improved, but security breaches may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication of the technician's identity and authorization request before granting elevated privileges. The authentication server validates credentials and authorization reasons in advance, ensuring that only legitimate repair activities receive temporary access. This preliminary verification prevents unauthorized access while enabling necessary repairs.
Solution Approach 2:
The privilege access level is made dynamic rather than static. The system automatically adjusts the technician's access level based on real-time authentication results and authorization decisions. Elevated privileges are granted temporarily for the duration of the repair task and then automatically revoked, creating a dynamic access control mechanism that balances security with repair capability.
2Reliability
If central security authority network connection is required for authentication, then security is improved, but isolated machines cannot be accessed
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication server acts as an intermediary that can operate in two modes: connected to the central security authority for normal operations, and in offline mode for isolated machines. The server maintains local authentication capabilities and can validate credentials without real-time connection to the central authority, enabling access to isolated machines while preserving security through local validation mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication system is designed with multi-functionality to handle both connected and isolated machine scenarios. The same authentication server and credential validation mechanism serve dual purposes: providing centralized security authentication when connected and enabling offline authentication for isolated machines. This universal design allows the system to adapt to different operational environments without compromising security.
3Ease of operation
If permanent elevated privileges are granted to technicians, then access capability is improved, but original privileges cannot be restored
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic action by automatically revoking elevated privileges after a specified time period or upon completion of the repair task. The authentication server monitors the duration of elevated access and automatically restores the technician's original privilege level after the temporary period expires. This periodic restoration mechanism ensures that elevated privileges are only held when necessary while maintaining ease of access during the authorized period.
Solution Approach 2:
The system discards elevated privileges after they have served their temporary purpose and recovers the original privilege state. When the repair task is completed or the time period expires, the system automatically discards the elevated access rights and restores the technician's original privilege level. This discard and recover mechanism ensures that permanent privilege changes do not occur while maintaining full access capability during the authorized temporary period.
Data Source
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AI summary
Techniques to facilitate temporary escalation of access privileges for a control program associated with a machine system in an industrial automation environment are disclosed. In at least one implementation, a request is received from a user for a temporary access level increase to utilize protected functions of the control program. An encrypted string is generated comprising a temporary password authorized to access the protected functions of the control program. The encrypted string is provided to the user, wherein the user provides the encrypted string to an administrator and the administrator authenticates the user for the temporary access level increase, decrypts the temporary password, and provides the temporary password to the user. A login request is received from the user with the temporary password, and the temporary access level increase is responsively granted to allow the user to utilize the protected functions of the control program.