Security settings and indications of controllers

• US 9,967,281 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2014
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Roosli, Philipp A., Heine, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Anderson, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US14/328,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20160014156A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 716 1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1441 Countermeasures against malicious traffic countermeasures against attacks on cryptographic mechanisms H04L9/002
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227

Abstract

A system and approach having security assurance for a controller relative to outside connections such as internet. The controller may have locked and exposed modes. A locked mode may mean that the system is correctly configured in that security related settings meet minimum standards. For example, the controller is protected through sufficiently strong user accounts and passwords whether entered or by default. Also, there may be an entity, such as person or organization that has responsibility for securing the controller against undesired intrusions. In the exposed mode, where the system may be incorrectly configured, the controller may shut down some or all of the functionality that has relevance to remote access. In the exposed mode, a built-in web server may show one or more screens that allow one to access the controller. There may be security indicators, such as lights that indicate whether the controller is exposed or locked.

Claims

1. A security assurance system for a building controller comprising:

a controller having a locked mode and an exposed mode relative to outside connections such as internet, the controller including a security monitor configured to determine whether the controller is in the locked mode or the exposed mode; and

wherein;

the locked mode comprises at least one item of a group consisting of one or more security settings and policies that meet standards, and an entity designated to assume the responsibility to assure that the security settings and policies meet the standards;

the exposed mode comprises at least one item of a group consisting of an absence of security settings and policies that meet the standards, and an absence of an entity designated to assure that the security settings and policies meet the standards; and

the security monitor determines whether the controller is in the locked mode or the exposed mode based on the items related to security settings and policies and the presence or absence of the entity designated to assure the security settings and policies meet the standards.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the security monitor has an automatic remote notification mechanism that notifies an entity designated to assume responsibility for security of the controller, upon detection of a security threat or misconfiguration of the controller.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the security monitor has a manual selector to initiate the automatic remote notification mechanism.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a security policy that meets the predetermined standards incorporates an entity designated to assume a responsibility to assure that the security settings and policies meet the standards.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein in the exposed mode, the controller automatically shuts down a functionality having relevance for remote access.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the controller comprises a web-server that provides a screen for display and entities; and

the web-server permits a user to enter a media access control (MAC) address or a serial number of the controller so that the user can access and adjust the security settings to meet the standards.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the controller comprises a web-server that provides a screen for display and entities; and

wherein;

the web-server permits a user to enter a MAC address of the controller or a serial number;

an email address is entered on the screen of the entity designated to assure that the security settings and policies meet the standards;

the controller verifies that the MAC or serial number is valid or does a timeout if the MAC or serial number is invalid;

if the MAC or serial number is valid, then the controller sends an email with a random code to the email address entered on the screen; and

the entity enters the code on the screen to result in an unlocking of the controller and another screen that reveals access to the security settings which can be adjusted to meet the standards.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the security settings comprise what entity is to receive notifications of one or more items from a group consisting of detected cyber-attacks, cyber health status of the controller, a number of failed logons, a new client internet protocol (IP) address, and a port probe by a remote host to be selected to activate monitoring of suspect activities.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a failed MAC address, serial number, random code, user account or password are prevented from being sent out by the controller over the internet.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the security settings are saved and the controller is locked relative to the security settings.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller comprises an indicator that reveals whether the controller is in the locked mode or the exposed mode.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein a security structure of the controller comprises:

one or more web pages;

the locked mode and the exposed mode;

a storage of security settings;

a monitoring of potential attack vector surface events;

a timestamp of the events;

or

a transmission of the events to the entity designated to monitor the controller.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein:

a case in which an account, a password, or a code is lost, the MAC address or serial number of the controller is entered in a screen of the display to gain access to the security settings; and

the security settings are eliminated and security settings are setup again anew.

14. A method, for monitoring security fitness of a building controller, comprising:

providing a building controller connectable to an external communication system;

providing one or more visual indicators of status of a configuration from a security perspective of the building controller;

checking a configuration of one or more items from a group consisting of a firewall, a network interface, virtual private networks, security credentials, communication ports, a user database, and a connectivity status to the external communication system;

determining whether the building controller is in a locked mode or an exposed mode based on whether or not the configuration of the one or more items meets security criteria;

wherein the building controller is in the exposed mode when the configuration of the one or more items does not meet the security criteria; and

wherein the building controller is in the locked mode when the configuration of the one or more items meets the security criteria.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein if a configuration of an item fails to meet the security criteria, then the item of the configuration is regarded as misconfigured.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the configuration of the one or more items is monitored internally with one or more built-in, standalone algorithms, or monitored externally of one or more build-in cooperative algorithms in cooperation with of an external client or server.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing a dashboard that incorporates the one or more visual indicators of the status of the configuration of the building controller.