Techniques for providing wireless access to a programmable logic controller in an industrial system

A method, comprising:

• sending, via a portable memory device, a firmware upgrade to a programmable logic controller (PLC) to cause the PLC to interface with the portable media device, wherein the portable memory device comprises an antenna;
• receiving, via the portable memory device, a request to connect to a wireless access point provided by the antenna from a computing device;
• determining, via the portable memory device, that the computing device is authorized to connect to the wireless access point based on the request;
• and
• authorizing, via the portable memory device, the computing device to connect to the wireless access point in response to determining that the computing device is authorized to connect to the wireless access point.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium, comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a request to connect to the wireless access point from a computing device, wherein the request comprises a private key;
• comparing the private key to an index of public keys associated with respective users authorized to connect to the wireless access point;
• determining that the computing device is authorized to connect to the wireless access point based on the comparison;
• authorizing the computing device to connect to the wireless access point;
• encrypting maintenance data associated with one or more industrial automation devices;
• and
• transmitting the encrypted maintenance data to the computing device via the wireless access point.