Industrial protocol system authentication and firewall

• US 9,485,245 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Issued: 11/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center Pte Ltd (Rockwell Automation, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific Business Center PTD Limited
• Inventors: Ng, Pei Sin, Sinclair, James Andrew, Jasper, Taryl
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, Randy
• Application Number:
  US14/705,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20150237036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/6, 726/12, 726/17, 380/30, 380/44, 380/282
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/054 Input/output
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/1105 I-O
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3271 using challenge-response

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide machines, systems, and methods in which industrial control systems may be secured from compromise and/or disruption via authentication and firewall. In particular, an industrial controller may: randomly generate an exchange key and send the exchange key to a client device in response to a transaction request originating from the client device; combine the exchange key with a locally stored pass key to produce an authentication code; and compare a challenge key received from the client device to the authentication code to determine a match between the challenge key and the authentication code. A successful match between the challenge key and the authentication code may allow the client device to further access the industrial controller using a common industrial protocol (CIP), and a failed match between the challenge key and the authentication code may prevent the client device from further access to the industrial controller.

Claims

1. An industrial controller comprising a processor executing a program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operable to:

determine whether an authenticated network connection has been established between the industrial controller and a client device; and

if an authenticated network connection has been established, allow the client device to access to the industrial controller, and if an authenticated network connection has not been established;

(a) randomly generate an exchange key;

(h) send the exchange key to the client device;

(c) combine the exchange key with a locally stored pass key to produce an authentication code;

(d) compare a challenge key received from the client device to the authentication code to determine whether a match between the challenge key and the authentication code exists; and

(e) if a match between the challenge key and the authentication code exists, allow the client device to access to the industrial controller.

2. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising being operable to communicate with the client device over a control network that allows real-time control of an industrial process or machine.

3. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising being operable to communicate with the client device over an EtherNet/IP network.

4. The industrial controller of claim 3, wherein the authenticated network connection is a Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) connection.

5. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising being operable to use a cryptographic hash function to combine the exchange key with a locally stored pass key.

6. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising, if a match exists, being operable to allow the client device to alter a control program for controlling an industrial process.

7. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising, after sending the exchange key to the client device in step (b), being operable to add delay for a predetermined amount of time.

8. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising being operable to keep the exchange key valid for combining with a locally stored pass key for only a predetermined amount of time.

9. The industrial controller of claim 1, further comprising being operable to stop sending an exchange key to the client device after a predetermined number of failed matches between the challenge key and the authentication code.

10. A secure method for communicating with an industrial controller comprising:

determining whether an authenticated network connection has been established between the industrial controller and a client device; and

if an authenticated network connection has been established, allowing the client device to access to the industrial controller, and if an authenticated network connection has not been established;

(a) randomly generating an exchange key;

(b) sending the exchange key to the client device;

(c) combining the exchange key with a locally stored pass key to produce an authentication code;

(d) comparing a challenge key received from the client device to the authentication code to determine whether a match between the challenge key and the authentication code exists; and

(e) if a match between the challenge key and the authentication code exists, allowing the client device to access to the industrial controller.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating with the client device over a control network that allows real-time control of an industrial process or machine.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising communicating with the client device over an EtherNet/IP network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the authenticated network connection is a Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) connection.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising, after sending the exchange key to the client device in step (b), adding delay for a predetermined amount of time.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising keeping the exchange key valid for combining with a locally stored pass key for only a predetermined amount of time.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising no longer sending an exchange key to the client device after a predetermined number of failed matches between the challenge key and the authentication code.

17. A programmable logic controller (PLC) for controlling an industrial process or machine, the PLC comprising a processor executing a program stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium operable to:

in response to a transaction request from a client device over a network, determine whether an authenticated network connection has been established between the PLC and the client device; and

if an authenticated network connection has been established, allow the client device to access to the PLC, and if an authenticated network connection has not been established;

(a) randomly generate an exchange key;

(b) send the exchange key to the client device;

(c) combine the exchange key with a locally stored pass key to produce an authentication code;

(d) compare a challenge key received from the client device to the authentication code to determine whether a match between the challenge key and the authentication code exists; and

(e) if a match between the challenge key and the authentication code exists, allow the client device to access to the PLC.

18. The PLC of claim 17, wherein the network is a control network allowing real-time control of an industrial process or machine.

19. The PLC of claim 17, wherein the network implements EtherNet/IP.

20. The PLC of claim 19, wherein the authenticated network connection is a Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) connection.