Enhanced security of process control instruments
AssigneeSchneider Electric Systems USA, Inc.
InventorsPavanKumar Malayanur, Stephen Richard Owen Beadle, Briane Ritchie, Zakarya Drias
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
System and method of securing a process control instrument of a process control system. An authorization server is configured to authenticate the process control instrument based on a unique secure code provided to the server in response to the process control instrument entering an enhanced secure mode as determined by a switch setting. In response to being authenticated in the enhanced secure mode, the process control instrument is configured to operate in a configuration state in which an authorized user is granted access to configure the security details of the process control instrument.
Claims23
A process control system comprising:
- at least one process control instrument, the process control instrument having a plurality of access modes as determined by a switch setting associated with the process control instrument, the access modes including an enhanced secure mode in which access for configuring the process control instrument is restricted to an authorized user;
- at least one controller communicatively coupled to the process control instrument;
- and
- an authorization server communicatively coupled to the controller, the authorization server configured to authenticate the process control instrument based on a unique secure code provided thereto in response to the process control instrument entering the enhanced secure mode, wherein:
- in response to being authenticated in the enhanced secure mode, the process control instrument is configured to operate in a configuration state in which the authorized user is granted access to configure security details of the process control instrument.
A method of securing a process control instrument comprising:
- determining a switch setting associated with a process control instrument, the switch setting placing the process control instrument in a selected one of a plurality of access modes, the access modes including a normal mode, an enhanced secure mode, and a secure mode;
- receiving a unique secure code associated with the process control instrument in response to the process control instrument entering the enhanced secure mode based on the determined switch setting;
- authenticating the process control instrument based on the secure code;
- and
- in response to the process control instrument being authenticated in the enhanced secure mode, granting access to an authorized user for configuring security details of the process control instrument.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.