Secure gate: Secure gateways and wireless sensors as enablers for sustainability in production plants

Abstract

The Internet of Things has reached the industry. Allowing connectivity from production plants to the Internet requires appropriate security mechanisms to provide protection against cyber attackers. In this paper, we propose a security architecture for a gateway connecting sensors and automation components from assembly lines with Internet or cloud based systems. A Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is used for protecting the cryptographic keys used in secure communication protocols and to provide protection against illegitimate firmware manipulation. As proof of concept, we implemented the key protection functionality with a TPM for the Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture protocol. In a field test, gateways have been installed together with wireless sensors in production plants. Two significant results with respect to the sustainability objectives of secure remote production, namely, reduction of chemical waste and reduction of electrical energy consumption have been demonstrated.