US 2019/0356645 A1 · SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SECURELY CHANGING NETWORK CONFIGURATION SETTINGS TO MULTIPLEXERS IN AN INDUSTRIAL CONTROL SYSTEM

Abstract

A secure control system includes a network of multiplexers that control end/field devices of an infrastructure system, such as an electric power grid. The multiplexers have a default secure lockdown state that prevents remote access to data on the multiplexers and prevents modification of software or firmware of the multiplexer. One or more of the multiplexers include a physical authentication device that confirms the physical proximity of a trusted individual when remote access is requested. A user accesses the network and one of the multiplexers remotely by way of login credentials. The trusted individual confirms the identity of the remote user and operates the physical authentication device connected with and in proximity to that multiplexer, thereby confirming that the remote user can be trusted to access data and reconfigure the multiplexers. The multiplexer connected with the physical authentication device generates a token that is passed to each of the multiplexers that the remote user needs access to. The token may specify a time period, after which, the multiplexers will reenter secure lockdown mode.

Claims25

Dependent claims

An industrial control system comprising:

a plurality of interconnected multiplexers forming a network, each multiplexer having a secure lock-down mode for preventing changes to settings of the multiplexer;
a physical authentication device for indicating a physical presence of a person proximate to a control multiplexer, the control multiplexer being one of the plurality of multiplexers;
and
a token generator adapted to generate a token for instructing at least one selected multiplexer to exit the secure lock-down mode to allow a user to make a change to the setting of the at least one selected multiplexer.

1 more element

A multiplexer comprising:

a processor electrically coupled to a program memory, the program memory storing program instructions executable by the processor for placing the multiplexer into and out of a secure lock-down mode;
a physical authentication device electrically coupled to the processor and adapted to receive identifying data from an individual proximate the multiplexer;
and
a data memory electrically coupled to the processor, the data memory including authentication data, wherein the processor determines whether the individual is a trusted individual by comparing the authentication data with the identifying data, wherein when the individual is identified as a trusted individual the processor places the multiplexer out of the secure lock-down mode.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/531,854Filed 5 Aug 2019

Priority

2 Jun 2016

Published

21 Nov 2019

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

G05B 19/058
Programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating logic interconnections of signals according to ladder diagrams or function charts: safety, monitoring
G05B 19/05
Program control other than numerical control, i.e. in sequence controllers or logic controllers: programmable logic controllers, e.g. simulating…
H04J 3/14
Details: monitoring arrangements
H04L 63/08
Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security: for authentication of entities

Family

Application62/344,944Us provisional application · filed 2 Jun 2016

Application15/609,202Continuation · filed 31 May 2017

Application16/531,854Continuation

US 10,375,049 B2Related patent

US 11,005,831 B2Related patent

US 2017/0353441 A1Published application

US 2019/0356645 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

System and method for securely changing network configuration settings to multiplexers in an industrial control system

Life of this patent

System and method for securely changing network configuration settings to multiplexers in an industrial control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims25