Gateway to the Danger Zone: Secure and Authentic Remote Reset in Machine Safety
Sebastian N. Peters, Nikolai Puch, Michael P. Heinl, Philipp Zieris, Mykolai Protsenko, Thorsten Larsen-Vefring, Marcel Ely Gomes, Aliza Maftun, Thomas Zeschg · 2024
The increasing digitization of modern flexible manufacturing systems has opened up new possibilities for higher levels of automation, paving the way for innovative concepts such as Equipment-as-a-Service. Concurrently, remote access has gained traction, notably accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. While some areas of manufacturing have embraced these advancements, safety applications remain localized. This work aims to enable the remote reset of local safety events. To identify necessary requirements, we conducted expert-workshops and analyzed relevant standards and regulations. These requirements serve as the foundation for a comprehensive security and safety concept, built around a secure gateway. It uses secure elements, crypto agility, PQC, and certificates for secure and authentic communication. To show its applicability, we implemented a prototype, which utilizes a gateway, cameras, and light barriers to monitor the danger zone of a robot and thus enable remote reset via public Internet. The real-world limitations we faced, were used to refine our requirements and concept iteratively. Ultimately, we present a secure and safe solution that enables the remote acknowledgment of safety-critical applications.