SECURE METHOD OF ACCESSING AN INFORMATION SYSTEM OF AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20110093918A1
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: POCHET, Romain, LECONTE, Bertrand
• Granted Patent: US 8,819,775 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6236 between heterogeneous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2151 Time stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/84 Vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3297 involving time stamps, e.g. generation of time stamps

Abstract

In the method of accessing an information system of an aircraft the system receives an authenticator request from a connector of the aircraft; the system determines whether the connector presents a predetermined characteristic; and in the event that the system determines that the connector does indeed present the predetermined characteristic, the system sends an authenticator to the connector. Provision is also made for: the system receives an authenticator the system determines whether the authenticator is valid; and in the event that the system determines that the authenticator is indeed valid, the system authorizes access to the system from a connector of the aircraft from which the authenticator was sent.

Claims

1. A method of accessing an information system of an aircraft, wherein:

the system receives an authenticator request from a connector of the aircraft;

the system determines whether the connector presents a predetermined characteristic; and

in the event that the system determines that the connector does indeed present the predetermined characteristic, the system sends an authenticator to the connector.

2. A method of accessing an information system of an aircraft, in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

the system receives an authenticator

the system determines whether the authenticator is valid; and

in the event that the system determines that the authenticator is indeed valid, the system authorizes access to the system from a connector of the aircraft from which the authenticator was sent.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the system compares the received authenticator with an authenticator stored in the system.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein the system triggers a counter measuring a time interval that has elapsed since a predetermined event, with the validity of the authenticator depending on the state of the counter.

5. A method according to claim 2, wherein the reception, determination, and authorization steps form a series of steps that are executed several times.

6. An aircraft, including an information system suitable for:

on receiving an authenticator request from a connector of the aircraft, determining whether the connector presents a predetermined characteristic; and

in the event that the system does indeed determine that the connector presents the predetermined characteristic, sending an authenticator to the connector.

7. An aircraft according to claim 6, including an information system suitable for:

on receiving an authenticator, determining whether the authenticator is valid; and

in the event that the system determines that the authenticator is indeed valid, authorizing access to the system from a connector of the aircraft from which the authenticator was sent.

8. A method of accessing information system of an aircraft, wherein:

a terminal sends an authenticator request to the system from an aircraft zone of a predetermined type;

the terminal receives and stores the authenticator;

the terminal is disconnected from the system; and

the terminal, when once more connected to the system, sends the authenticator to the system.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein, prior to sending the request, the terminal determines whether an authenticator is stored in the terminal.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the terminal triggers a counter measuring an interval of time that has elapsed since a predetermined event, with the validity of the authenticator depending on the state of the counter.