Importance

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Abstract

A widespread security strategy for industrial control networks is physical isolation of the network, also known as an “air gap.” But the network might still be infected with unauthorized software if, say, an infected USB drive were to be plugged into one of the network's computers. The invention relates to a security module placed between the network and a device in the network. Each security module in the network mimics the Internet protocol (IP) configuration of its protected device. Each security module includes a private encryption key and a signed public key that it automatically shares with other security modules discovered on the network. These keys permit the security module to perform asymmetric point-to-point encryption of traffic from the protected device to the corresponding security module for a target device node and to detect (and thus block) unauthorized devices.

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First Claim