# US 11,283,613 B2 · Secure control of intelligent electronic devices in power delivery systems

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- Number: US 11,283,613 B2
- Document ID: US11283613B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/655,642
- Filed: 2019-10-17
- Published: 2021-04-22
- Granted: 2022-03-22
- Earliest claimed: 2019-10-17
- Assignees: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
- Applicants: Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.
- Inventors: Dennis Gammel; Josh Powers; Jason A. Dearien; Joshua Thomas Pereyda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11283613B2

## CPC

- H04L 9/3213: {using tickets or tokens, e.g. Kerberos (network architectures or network communication protocols for entities authentication using tickets in a packet data network H04L63/0807)}
- G05B 19/0426: {Programming the control sequence}
- H04L 63/0807: {using tickets, e.g. Kerberos (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213)}
- H04L 63/083: {using passwords (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226)}
- H04L 63/0876: {based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint}
- G05B 2219/24163: Authentication tag in configuration file
- Y04S 40/20: Information technology specific aspects, e.g. CAD, simulation, modelling, system security
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- Y04S: SYSTEMS INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO POWER NETWORK OPERATION, COMMUNICATION OR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR IMPROVING THE ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION, MANAGEMENT OR USAGE, i.e. SMART GRIDS

## Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed herein relating to the secure configuration of intelligent electronic devices. Intelligent electronic devices are used in electric power generation and transmission systems for protection, control, automation, and/or monitoring of equipment. The use of tokens and token-based digital signatures in the configuration process of intelligent electronic devices reduces the likelihood of malicious acts or unintended errors. Tokens distributed to engineers, technicians, intelligent electronic devices, computing devices, and/or software decrease the likelihood of errors being introduced in the configuration process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An access control system to restrict access to an intelligent electronic device (IED) in a power delivery system, comprising:
a token generating server to:
provide an engineer token to be associated with a configuration package for an IED to:
validate that the configuration package was developed by an authorized entity, and
identify a device type for which the configuration package is intended, and
provide a technician token that is different from the engineer token to a technician to validate that the technician is authorized to install the configuration package on the IED,
wherein the technician token comprises at least one of a cryptographic key, an asymmetric token, a symmetric token, and a digital signature;
a communications network to transmit token-authenticating information from the token generating server to the IED; and
an authorization subsystem of the IED to:
(1) authenticate the technician token in response to an installation request using the token-authenticating information from the token generating server,
(2) authenticate the engineer token associated with the configuration package using the token-authenticating information from the token generating server, including authenticating that the configuration package is intended for the device type of the IED,
(3) reject installation of the configuration package upon failure to authenticate one or both of the engineer token and the technician token, and
(4) log access and authentication results.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the authorization subsystem of the IED is further configured to log installation requests, authentication of engineer tokens, and rejections.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the technician token identifies software and hardware for which the configuration package is intended, and wherein the authorization subsystem of the IED is further configured to authenticate that the configuration package is intended for the software and hardware of the TED.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an engineering system to be used by an engineer to:
request the engineer token from the token generating server, and
provide token-authenticating information to the IED for subsequent authentication of the configuration package prior to installation thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a technician system to be used by a technician to:
request the technician token from the token generating server, and
provide the token-authenticating information to the IED for subsequent authentication of the technician prior to installation of the configuration package.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the technician system communicates with the IED via the communications network.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, further comprising a remote technician system through which the technician provides the technician token and the configuration package to the IED independent of the communications network.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the token generating server is configured to sign the configuration package annotated with the engineer token, and wherein the authorization subsystem is further configured to authenticate that the configuration package is unchanged.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the authorization subsystem is configured to authenticate that the configuration package is intended for the device type of the IED using at least one of a unique identifier of the IED and a firmware version of the TED.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the engineer token uniquely identifies the IED for which the configuration package is intended, and wherein the authorization subsystem is further configured to authenticate that the configuration package is intended for the TED.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the engineer token identifies a time window for installation of the configuration package, and wherein the authorization subsystem is further configured to prevent installation of the configuration package outside of the time window.

### Claim 12

An intelligent electronic device (IED), comprising:
an input port to receive a request from a technician to install a configuration package;
an authorization subsystem to:
(1) authenticate a technician token provided by the technician to validate that the technician is authorized to install the configuration package,
(2) authenticate an engineer token that is different than the technician token, wherein the engineer token comprises a hash of the configuration package that can be used to validate that the configuration package was developed by an authorized entity, wherein the engineer token identifies a device type for which the configuration package is intended,
(3) authenticate that the configuration package is intended for the TED based on the device type identified in the engineer token; and
a configuration subsystem to allow installation of the configuration package by the technician upon authentication of both the technician token and the engineer token.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the engineer token is annotated and signed along with the configuration package, and wherein the authorization system uses token-authenticating information received by a token generating system to further authenticate the engineer token and the configuration package.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the authorization system uses token-authenticating information received by a token generating system to authenticate the technician token provided by the technician.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein at least one of the technician token and the engineer token comprises an asymmetrical token, and wherein the authorization system uses token-authenticating information for authentication that is non-reverse-engineerable.

### Claim 16 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the engineer token further identifies a device type for which the configuration package is intended, and wherein the authorization subsystem is further configured to authenticate that the configuration package is intended for at least one of a device type of the IED, a unique identifier of the IED, and a firmware version of the TED.

### Claim 17 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the engineer token identifies software and hardware for which the configuration package is intended, and wherein the authorization subsystem is further configured to authenticate that the configuration package is intended for the software and hardware of the TED.

### Claim 18 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the engineer token identifies a time window for installation of the configuration package, and wherein the authorization subsystem is further configured to prevent installation of the configuration package outside of the time window.

### Claim 19

A method for intelligent electronic device (IED) access control, comprising:
generating an engineer token that includes a hash of a configuration package to be used to validate that:
(1) the configuration package was developed by an authorized entity, and
(2) the configuration package is intended for the device type of the IED;
generating a technician token that is different than the engineer token, wherein the technician token facilitates validation that a technician is authorized to install the configuration package on the IED;
providing token-authenticating information to the IED to enable the IED to subsequently authenticate each of the engineer token and the technician token;
receiving a request by the technician to install the configuration package;
receiving the technician token from the technician;
authenticating the technician token to validate that the technician is authorized to install the configuration package;
receiving the configuration package for installation on the IED, wherein the configuration package is signed by the authorized entity;
authenticating the engineer token to validate the configuration package and the device type of the IED; and
modifying at least one setting of the IED as dictated within the configuration package in response to authentication of both the technician token and the engineer token.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the engineer token identifies a time window for installation of the configuration package, and wherein the method further comprises authenticating that a technician's request to modify at least one setting of the IED is within the specified time window.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the engineer token is appended to and signed along with the configuration package, and wherein the method further comprises using asymmetrical token-authenticating information to authenticate the engineer token and validate that the configuration package is unmodified.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising logging at least one of the engineer token and the technician token.