Method for protecting an automation component against program manipulations by signature reconciliation
AssigneeSiemens Aktiengesellschaft
InventorPeter Schoenemann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a method for determining a threat situation for an automation component of the controller or field level, wherein the automation component has at least one essentially cyclic program behavior, a number of required program behaviors is established in a learning phase in a processor, and the determined required program behaviors are stored and compared cyclically with actual program behaviors, that are established in operation of the automation component. The result of the comparison is logically linked with results of other security components for verification as to whether a threat situation exists.
Claims12
A method for determining a threat situation for an automation component, said method comprising:
- via a processor of an automation component, operating said automation component with a substantially cyclic program behavior;
- in a memory, storing a plurality of required program behaviors;
- in said processor, cyclically establishing at least one actual program behavior of said automation component;
- in said processor, accessing said required program behaviors from said memory and cyclically comparing said actual program behavior with said required program behaviors;
- and
- from said processor, emitting an output that indicates a threat situation when said actual program behavior deviates from at least one of said required program behaviors by a predetermined degree of deviation.
A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a processor of an automation component that operates said automation component with a substantially cyclic program behavior, said programming instructions causing said processor to:
- cyclically establish at least one actual program behavior of said automation component;
- access required program behaviors from a memory and cyclically compare said actual program behavior with said required program behaviors;
- and
- emit an output that indicates a threat situation when said actual program behavior deviates from at least one of said required program behaviors by a predetermined degree of deviation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.