Method and System for Securely Updating Field Upgradeable Units

A network device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having program information stored therein that, when executed by the processor, cause the network device to perform the following operations in response to receiving an update object:
• determine whether the memory includes a predetermined value;
• store, based on said determination, the received update object in the memory;
• perform an operation to cause the processor to use update information in the update object in lieu of other information stored in the memory;
• and
• sign the received update object using a private key corresponding to a received key.

A network device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory having program information stored therein that, when processed by the processor, cause the network device to perform the following operations in response to receiving an update object:
• determine whether the memory includes a predetermined value;
• store, based on said determination, the received update object in the memory;
• and
• perform an operation to cause the processor to use update information in the update object in lieu of other information stored in the memory, wherein
• the network device is a node in a smart grid network.

A network device comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory having program information stored therein that, when processed by the processor, cause the network device to perform the following operations in response to receiving an update object:
• determine whether the memory includes a predetermined value;
• store, based on said determination, the received update object in the memory;
• and
• perform an operation to cause the processor to use update information in the update object in lieu of other information stored in the memory;
• and
• a state machine characterized by a plurality of states, said states including a first state in which the network device is configured to prevent the processor from modifying information recorded in the memory.