Wireless OT Network Access Control Through Node Authentication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial networks face challenges in efficiently and accurately differentiating between trusted and untrusted wireless devices, leading to increased cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities due to the flexible and dynamic nature of IIoT and OT networks, which are prone to cyber-attacks from untrusted devices.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a computer-implemented method and apparatus that detects, authenticates, and assigns access indicators to wireless nodes based on node identification, authentication, and authorization information, using databases and real-time monitoring to manage access and generate alerts for untrusted devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If wireless nodes are allowed to connect to the network without immediate trust determination, then network flexibility and ease of connection is improved, but cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities increase due to untrusted devices
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication and authorization actions before allowing node connection. The authentication module verifies node identification information and the authorization module validates authentication information in advance, ensuring only trusted devices gain network access. This resolves the contradiction by implementing security checks before connection rather than after.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary access control mechanism between nodes and the network. The access control module acts as a mediator that receives authentication and authorization information, processes it through defined rules, and determines whether to grant access. This intermediary layer enables both secure authentication and flexible connection management.
2Reliability
If authentication and authorization checks are performed for each node, then cybersecurity reliability is improved, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication and authorization information are validated in advance before node access is granted. The system performs these security checks preliminarily during the access determination process, ensuring that reliable security verification is completed before the node can connect, thus managing processing time efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables nodes to present their own authentication and authorization information for validation. Nodes self-identify and provide their credentials, allowing the system to verify them automatically without requiring manual intervention or complex external verification processes, thereby reducing processing time while maintaining security reliability.
3Reliability
If continuous monitoring of message communications is implemented, then detection of untrusted nodes is improved, but network overhead and processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors message communications and provides feedback about node behavior and authentication status. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect untrusted nodes and adjust access decisions dynamically, improving detection accuracy while managing monitoring complexity through targeted observation of critical communication patterns.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the disclosure provide improvements for managing access of nodes, including wireless nodes, to a network including operational technology device(s) (e.g., a wireless OT network). Some embodiments include detecting a node from at least one message communication over a wireless OT network, authenticating node identification information that uniquely identifies the node, confirming that the node is permissioned to access the wireless OT network by at least validating authentication information associated with the node, confirming that the node is attempting an authorized action by at least validating authorization information associated with the at least one message communication, and assigning an access indicator based at least in part on the authenticating of the node identification information, the validating of the authentication information, and the validating of the authorization information.