Secure method of accessing an information system of an aircraft

• US 8,819,775 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• 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: Leconte, Bertrand, Pochet, Romain
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORTHY, ARAVIND K
• Application Number:
  US12/901,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20110093918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 726/2, 726/21, 726/22, 726/27, 713/161, 713/168
• 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 on-board information system of an aircraft, wherein the system performs the following steps:

receiving an authenticator request from an on-board connector of the aircraft, the connector being arranged for connecting a terminal to the system when the terminal is located in an aircraft zone of a predetermined type on the aircraft;

determining whether the on-board connector presents a predetermined characteristic; and

in the event that the on-board connector does indeed present the predetermined characteristic, sending an authenticator to the on-board connector.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the system further performs the following steps:

receiving an authenticator, the authenticator being sent from an on-board connector of the aircraft, the connector being arranged for connecting a terminal to the system when the terminal is on-board;

determining whether the authenticator is valid; and

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

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the system further performs triggering 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.

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

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the system further performs comparing the received authenticator with an authenticator stored in the system.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the characteristic relates to a type of zone of the aircraft in which the on-board connector is located.

7. An aircraft, including an on-board information system suitable for:

on receiving an authenticator request from an on-board connector of the aircraft, determining whether the on-board connector presents a predetermined characteristic, the connector being arranged for connecting a terminal to the system when the terminal is located in an aircraft zone of a predetermined type on the aircraft; and

in the event that the on-board connector presents the predetermined characteristic, sending an authenticator to the on-board connector.

8. An aircraft according to claim 7, further comprising:

on receiving the authenticator, determining whether the authenticator is valid, the authenticator being sent from an on-hoard connector of the aircraft, the connector being arranged for connecting a terminal to the system when the terminal is on-board; and

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

9. A method of accessing an on-board information system of an aircraft, comprising:

sending an authenticator request to the system, the sending being performed by a terminal located in an aircraft zone of a predetermined type on the aircraft;

receiving and storing the authenticator by the terminal, the terminal being located in the aircraft zone;

disconnecting the terminal from the system; and

sending the authenticator to the system, the sending being performed by the terminal, when located in the aircraft zone or in another zone of the aircraft and once more connected to the system.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising, prior to sending the request, determining whether an authenticator is stored in the terminal, the determining performed by the terminal.

11. A method according to claim 9, further comprising triggering 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, the triggering being performed by the terminal.