Tamper protection device for protecting a field device against tampering

A method for manufacturing a field device with a tamper protection device, the method comprising:

• manufacturing the field device;
• manufacturing the tamper protection device as a foil on which electronic memories are disposed;
• attaching the tamper protection device to the field device;
• and
• connecting the tamper protection device to a monitoring device to monitor the tamper protection device for physical damage to the tamper protection device,
• wherein the monitoring device is configured to monitor the tamper protection device in an iterative, non-continuous manner after a specified time interval has elapsed,
• wherein at least one predefinable security information item is configured to be overwritten after the specified time interval;
• wherein the monitoring device is configured to determine a time period of the physical damage based on when a predefinable security item can no longer be overwritten in at least electronic memory of the electronic memories of the tamper protection device;
• and
• wherein the field device is configured to transmit a status message to a control station over a network in response to a detection of the physical damage to the tamper protection device based on the predefinable security information item.

A field device comprising:

• a tamper protection device for protecting the field device against tampering, the tamper protection device comprising:
• a tamper protection carrier configured as a foil;
• and
• at least one electronic memory, wherein the at least one electronic memory is disposed in at least one partial area on the tamper protection carrier,
• wherein the at least one electronic memory stores at least one predefinable security information item in an iterative, non-continuous manner for detecting tampering of the field device after a specified time interval has elapsed,
• wherein the at least one predefinable security information item is configured to be iteratively overwritten after the specified time period has elapsed,
• wherein the at least one predefinable security item can no longer be overwritten following at least partial physical damage to the tamper protection device;
• wherein the field device is configured to transmit a status message to a control station over a network in response to a detection of the at least partial physical damage to the tamper protection device based on the at least one predefinable security information item.

A tamper protection system comprising:

• at least one field device comprising a processor and a device memory;
• at least one tamper protection device for protecting the at least one field device against tampering, the at least one tamper protection device comprising:
• a tamper protection carrier configured as a foil;
• and
• at least one electronic memory imprinted flatly on the foil, wherein the at least one electronic memory is disposed in at least one partial area on the tamper protection carrier, wherein the at least one electronic memory stores at least one predefinable security information item in an iterative non-continuous manner for detecting tampering of the field device after a specified time interval has elapsed, wherein the at least one predefinable security information item is configured to be overwritten after a specified time interval has elapsed, and wherein the at least one predefinable security item can no longer be overwritten following at least partial physical damage to the tamper protection device;
• and
• at least one monitoring device, wherein the at least one tamper protection device is disposed on the at least one field device for the tamper protection, wherein the at least one monitoring device is connected to the at least one tamper protection device, and wherein the at least one monitoring device is configured to determine a time period of the at least partial physical damage using the at least one predefinable security information item;
• wherein the at least one field device is configured to transmit a status message to a control station over a network in response to a detection of the at least partial physical damage to the tamper protection device based on the at least one predefinable security information item.

A method of using a tamper protection device for protecting a field device against tampering, the tamper protection device comprising a tamper protection carrier configured as a foil, and at least one electronic memory, wherein the at least one electronic memory is disposed in at least one partial area on the tamper protection carrier, the method comprising:

• storing at least one predefinable security information item in the at least one electronic memory for detecting tampering of the field device, wherein the at least one predefinable security information item is configured to be overwritten after a specified time interval;
• detecting at least partial physical damage to the tamper protection device based on an inability for the at least one predefinable security information item to be overwritten into the at least one electronic memory;
• determining a time period of the at least partial physical damage based on the at least one predefinable security information item;
• and
• transmitting a status message to a control station over a network in response to a detection of the at least partial physical damage to the tamper protection device based on the at least one predefinable security information item.