Secure efficient registration of industrial intelligent electronic devices

A computer program, which is adapted for performing a method for registering an intelligent electronic device with a certification authority, the intelligent electronic device being adapted for controlling a power electric device and being an embedded controller of a power electric device, the method comprising:

• enrolling a configuration tool at the certification authority;
• generating a one-time password for the intelligent electronic device and storing the one-time password in the certification authority and in the configuration tool;
• connecting to the intelligent electronic device with the configuration tool, wherein the configuration tool authenticates at the intelligent electronic device;
• sending the one-time password from the configuration tool to the intelligent electronic device, wherein the one-time password is included in configuration data sent to the intelligent electronic device wherein the configuration data furthermore includes at least one of an address of the certification authority and/or a root certificate of the certification authority;
• enrolling the intelligent electronic device at the certification authority with the one-time password and registering the intelligent electronic device with the certification authority, wherein the one-time password is included into RA/CA registration data created by the intelligent electronic device from the configuration data;
• receiving a device certificate from the certification authority in the intelligent electronic device.

A system for registering intelligent electronic devices with a certification authority, the system comprising:

• a configuration tool;
• and
• a plurality of intelligent electronic devices being adapted for controlling power electric devices and being embedded controllers of the power electric devices;
• wherein the configuration tool is adapted for:
• enrolling at the certification authority for requesting a one-time password for each of the intelligent electronic devices from the certification authority or for providing a one-time password for each of the intelligent electronic devices to the certification authority;
• connecting to each of the intelligent electronic devices and authenticating at the respective intelligent electronic device;
• and
• sending the respective one-time password to the respective intelligent electronic device, wherein the one-time password is included in configuration data sent to the intelligent electronic device wherein the configuration data furthermore includes at least one of an address of the certification authority and/or a root certificate of the certification authority;
• wherein each intelligent electronic device is adapted for:
• enrolling at the certification authority with the one-time password, wherein the one-time password is included into RA/CA registration data created by the intelligent electronic device from the configuration data;
• and
• receiving a device certificate from the certification authority.