A method for secure communication between a field device in automation technology and an end device connected to the field device via an end device communication link, wherein the field device has a cause-effect relationship with a physical process and the field device can be connected via a field bus interface to other field devices and/or a process control system for the exchange of process information, the method comprising:
- storing an individual access code in the end device;
- transmitting the access code from the end device to the field device;
- connecting the field device to an authentication server via a server communication link;
- using the field device to transmit the access code or an access code derived from the access code to the authentication server;
- storing authentication data on the authentication server, on the basis of which the authenticity of the access code is checked on the authentication server;
- transmitting the resulting authentication result from the authentication server via the server communication link to the field device;
- and
- depending on the authentication result transmitted to the field device, making resources of the field device available to the end device.