Enhanced smart process control switch port lockdown

• Main Authors: Neil J Peterson, Paul Greuniesen, Alexandre Da Silva Peixoto
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.07.2022
• Subjects: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; CONTROLLING; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS ORELEMENTS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHICCOMMUNICATION

A method for determining whether to forward messages received at a process control switch 146B from a second switch 146A, 146C, 146D, 109. The process control switch detects that it is connected to the second switch and then analyses a handshake with the second switch to determine whether the second switch is lockable. If the second switch is lockable 146A, 146C, 146D, messages received from the second switch are forwarded by the process control switch without requiring authentication of their source physical addresses. If the second switch is not lockable (e.g. if it is an unmanaged switch) 109 then the source addresses of received messages are authenticated by determining whether or not they match an address included in a list of known physical addresses. If the second switch is not lockable and the source address is not included in the list of known addresses, then the message may be dropped and an alert may be generated. The switch may be used in automated or industrial control networks.