UPS Command Authentication via Intermediary Filtering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) are vulnerable to malicious commands from unauthorized sources, such as viruses or malicious users, which can compromise their operation and security.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a security switch that filters and authenticates remote commands, allowing only authorized and encrypted commands to be executed, and providing a configuration setting to deactivate remote command filtering, ensuring that malicious instructions are disallowed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If remote command filtering is enabled to block malicious commands, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but legitimate remote command execution may be blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an authentication mechanism as an intermediary between command reception and command execution. The UPS controller authenticates the source of each remote command before allowing execution, acting as a mediator that filters out malicious commands while permitting legitimate ones. This resolves the contradiction by adding a security layer that doesn't completely block remote access but selectively permits or denies commands based on authentication status.
2Ease of operation
If all remote commands are allowed for ease of operation, then remote control capability is improved, but vulnerability to malicious commands increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by implementing authentication checks before commands are executed. The UPS controller preemptively verifies the legitimacy of remote command sources, preventing malicious commands from affecting the system. This approach maintains full remote control capability for authenticated users while blocking unauthorized access attempts before they can cause harm.
3Reliability
If command filtering is implemented to enhance security, then protection against attacks is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by having the UPS controller perform its own authentication and command validation internally. The controller uses built-in authentication mechanisms to verify command sources and determine whether to execute commands, eliminating the need for external filtering hardware or complex external validation systems. This reduces overall device complexity while maintaining strong security protections.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An uninterruptible power supply (UPS) includes an input configured to receive input power, a backup power source configured to provide backup power, an output configured to provide output power from at least one of the input power and the backup power, and a controller coupled to the input, the backup power source, and the output. The controller is configured to receive commands from an external entity, detect a configuration setting, identify, based at least in part on the configuration setting, that a first subset of the commands are unrestricted commands and a second subset of the commands are restricted commands, and responsive to identifying the unrestricted commands, execute the unrestricted commands.