Trusted Fabrication Endpoint for Signed Manufacturing Data
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The existing digital manufacturing (DM) systems lack secure methods for verifying digitally signed data before manufacturing items, leading to vulnerabilities in cybersecurity, traceability, and intellectual property protection.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a trusted endpoint system that includes a secure controller connected to a wide area network and an untrusted controller for local communication, capable of receiving, verifying, and directing the manufacturing of items based on digitally signed data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If DM machines are connected to networks for convenience and productivity, then ease of operation and productivity improve, but cybersecurity vulnerabilities and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two distinct controllers: a secure controller that maintains air-gap isolation for security-critical functions, and an untrusted controller that handles network connectivity and user interaction. This segmentation allows the system to simultaneously achieve network convenience and security isolation, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
2Reliability
If DM machines are air-gapped for security, then reliability and cybersecurity improve, but ease of operation and productivity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The secure controller acts as an intermediary between the untrusted networked controller and the trusted fabrication system. It verifies digitally signed data and enforces security policies without requiring the fabrication controller to be isolated, thus maintaining productivity while ensuring security through the intermediary verification layer.
3Reliability
If digitally signed data verification is implemented, then authenticity and reliability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The complex cryptographic verification functions are extracted from the fabrication controller and concentrated in the secure controller. The fabrication controller simply receives and executes verified instructions, while the secure controller handles digital signature verification, key management, and security policy enforcement. This extraction reduces the complexity burden on the fabrication system while maintaining high reliability through specialized security processing.
Data Source
AI summary
An endpoint for trusted fabrication, the endpoint including at least one secure controller configured for connection to a wide area network; and at least one untrusted controller configured for local communication, wherein the endpoint is configured for connection to a fabricator and further configured to receive digitally-signed data specifying at least one item for manufacture; verify the digitally-signed data; and direct the fabricator to manufacture the at least one item after verifying the digitally signed data. A method for trusted on-demand manufacturing, the method including receiving, at an endpoint connected to a fabricator, digitally signed data describing at least one item for manufacture; verifying, at the endpoint, the digitally signed data; and manufacturing the at least one item using the digitally signed data after verifying the digitally signed data, wherein the endpoint comprises at least one secure controller and at least one untrusted controller.