Providing security in an intelligent electronic device
AssigneeEI Electronics LLC, d/b/a Electro Industries/Gauge Tech
InventorsJoseph Spanier, Dulciane Siqueira Cansancao
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Abstract
Apparatuses, systems, and methods for providing security in an intelligent electronic device (IED) are provided. In one aspect of the present disclosure, an IED is provided including at least one processor that receives a communication via a communication interface, the communication including an unencrypted file and a digital signature. The at least one processor decrypts the digital signature to obtain a first value, executes a hash function on the unencrypted file to obtain a second value, determines if the first value and second value match, and updates at least one firmware package stored in at least one memory of the IED with the unencrypted file if it is determined that the first value and the second value match.
Claims20
A method of authenticating firmware stored in a utility meter comprising:
- connecting a computing device with a utility meter, the utility meter including at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of a utility distribution system, at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor, a least one communication interface configured to send and receive information over a network, and at least one processor;
- selecting a first firmware file associated with the utility meter;
- selecting data in an area inside of the first firmware file;
- selecting a seed number;
- executing a hash function for the selected data and the selected seed number to receive a first hash value;
- sending a request to the utility meter to execute the hash function for a second firmware file using the same data and the same seed number, the second firmware file being stored in memory in the utility meter;
- receiving a second hash value from the utility meter;
- comparing the first hash value to the second hash value;
- and
- authenticating the firmware if the first hash value matches the second hash value.
A system for authenticating firmware stored in a utility meter comprising:
- a utility meter including at least one sensor configured to measure at least one parameter of a utility distribution system, at least one analog-to-digital converter configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor, a least one communication interface configured to send and receive information over a network, and at least one utility meter processor;
- a computing device configured to connect with the utility meter over the network, the computing device having a user interface, a local memory, and at least one computing device processor, the computing device configured to,
- present a user with a plurality of firmware files associated with the utility meter,
- receive a selection of a first firmware file associated with the utility meter,
- select data in an area inside of the first firmware file,
- generate at least one seed number,
- execute a hash function for the selected data and the selected seed number to compute a first hash value,
- send a request to the utility meter to execute the hash function for a second firmware file using the same data and the same seed number, the second firmware file being stored in memory in the utility meter,
- receive a second hash value from the utility meter,
- compare the first hash value to the second hash value, and
- authenticate the firmware if the first hash value matches the second hash value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.