End-to-end secure messaging for industrial automation environments

A method for securing communications end-to-end in an industrial automation environment, the method comprising,

• by a first device in the industrial automation environment:
• establishing a first data link with a second device in the industrial automation environment;
• instructing the second device to create a socket and to connect the socket to a third device in the industrial automation environment;
• securing operational messages, associated with an industrial communication protocol, using a cryptographic key associated with a secure session established between the first device and the third device, resulting in secure messages;
• and
• sending the secure messages to the third device, including by instructing the second device over the first data link to forward the secure messages over a second data link to the socket opened on the third device.

A computing apparatus comprising:

• one or more computer readable storage media;
• one or more processors operatively coupled with the one or more computer readable storage media;
• and
• program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media for securing communications end-to-end in an industrial automation environment, wherein the program instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, direct the computing apparatus to at least:
• establish a first data link with an end-point in the industrial automation environment;
• establish a second data link with an automation device in the industrial automation environment;
• receive a first remote procedure call (RPC) message over the first data link from the
• end-point, wherein the first RPC message includes a request from by the end-point to establish a secure session with the automation device and an instruction to forward the request to the automation device;
• responsively send the request over the second data link to the automation device;
• receive a second RPC message over the first data link from the end-point, wherein the second RPC message includes an operational message secured using a cryptographic key associated with the secure session and includes an instruction to forward the operational message to the automation device using a socket associated with the secure session;
• and
• responsively send the operational message over the second data link on the specified socket to the automation device.