Abstract: Various embodiments include a method for controlling interaction between a first physical entity and a second physical entity. An example includes: receiving an interaction request from the second physical entity at the first physical entity; in response to the interaction request, transmitting a verification request to a first virtual entity representing the first physical entity; in response to the verification request, determining a measure of a trustworthiness of the second physical entity; and controlling interaction of the second physical entity with the first physical entity on the basis of the measure of the trustworthiness of the second physical entity.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a method for operating a networked IoT device in an automation network with an application and with a security guideline implemented on the IoT device with a security specification. An example includes: selecting a security function for the application on the basis of a device state of the IoT device; and operating the IoT device with the application with the security function.

Abstract: For detecting a cyber-attack on a machine controller, a concurrent simulation of the machine is run in a secured access domain. From the machine controller actual control data are transmitted to the machine and resulting monitoring data are transmitted to a monitoring device. Furthermore, sensor data of the machine are transmitted to the concurrent simulation on a first secured transmission path. Based on the sensor data, the concurrent simulation simulates an operational behavior of the machine, thus inferring simulated monitoring data. The simulated monitoring data are then compared with the resulting monitoring, and an alarm signal is triggered depending on the comparison.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a method for issuing a cryptographically protected certificate of authenticity for a user comprising: providing a public user key; providing a public client key for a client, the public client key assigned to the user; forming a request including the public user key, wherein the public user key is protected with the aid of a private client key assigned to the provided public client key; and issuing a cryptographically protected certificate of authenticity containing the public user key and identifying the client. The cryptographically protected certificate of authenticity contains or references a cryptographic client identifier formed depending at least in part on the public client key.

Abstract: A method for key management in a field-programmable integrated part of an integrated circuit is disclosed herein. According to the method, a hardware configuration for the field-programmable integrated part is loaded into the field-programmable integrated part. The hardware configuration includes a key derivation functionality. Further, using the key derivation functionality, a cryptographic key is derived based on information provided in the field-programmable integrated part.

Abstract: Provided is a method for the validation of a digital certificate by a validation apparatus that checks the certificate of a communication partner on behalf of a first device, including the method steps of: the first device (requesting validation of the certificate of the communication partner at a first validation apparatus, the first validation apparatus querying validation information at a status collection apparatus, checking, in the first validation apparatus, whether validation information has been received from the status collection apparatus, and transmitting the validation information from the first validation apparatus to the first device, wherein, only in the event of a negative inspection result, the validation information of the certificate is determined in the first validation apparatus.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the teachings herein include a method for assigning a digital model to a physical component of an automation system. An example method includes: consulting a physical component with a piece of link information referring to a digital model of the physical component in a digital twin of the physical component; and using the link information to determine the digital model to which the link information refers and assign said digital model to the physical component.

Abstract: A method of onboarding a user device onto an industrial network includes receiving a registration request from the user device. The user device is connected to a gateway device associated with a first wireless network. The registration request includes one or more network access parameters associated with the user device. At least one network access parameter from the network access parameters is indicative of the gateway device and/or the first wireless network. The method includes authenticating the user device based on the received registration request. Authenticating includes verifying validity of network access parameters of the registration request. The method allows for utilization of network access data to evaluate if the user device is indeed an actual user device or an unauthorized device. Accordingly, an overall security associated with the onboarding process is improved.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided for establishing secure communication between the devices without relying on local time information. According to the methods, a client device, which is going to establish the secure communication to a server device, is provided by the server device with a proof of its integrity. The proof of integrity of the server device is issued by a trusted third party (TTP) to which both devices have a trust relation.

Abstract: Provided is a device unit, including a module, which can configure the device unit with an operating state from among different operating states during the start-up process and/or during ongoing operation of the device unit, wherein a first protected operating state of the different operating states is designed to allow the execution of at least one operating process which can be predefined and to optionally protect the operating process by means of defined cryptographic means, wherein at least one second operating state of the different operating states is designed to deactivate the first protected operating state and to allow at least one other changeable operating process and to optionally protect the operating process by means of specifiable cryptographic means.

Abstract: An issuing device is configured to: respond to a challenge request by transmitting a challenge; and respond to a certification request including a public key and ownership information thereof by issuing a digital certificate certifying the ownership information. The ownership information includes counterparty identity information relating to a ledger of a distributed database. The digital certificate is issued if it is successfully verified that a valid response to the challenge has been posted to the ledger of the distributed database and is associated therein with the counterparty identity information of the certification request. The digital certificate facilitates proofing that an owner of a public key is a given counterparty to a blockchain ledger. Also, a corresponding requesting device and corresponding methods and computer program products for issuing and requesting a digital certificate are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for authenticating a communication partner on a device is provided, in which method, in addition to a physical device implementation, there is at least one virtual device implementation allocated to the device, the method having the following steps: receiving an access authorization of a communication partner one first of these two device implementations, checking, by the first device implementation, the access authorization and if the access authorization is deemed permissible, providing an authorization verification from the first device implementation to the communication partner, and permitting an access to the second device implementation of these two device implementations by the communication partner by the authorization verification.

Abstract: For detecting a cyber-attack on a machine controller, a concurrent simulation of the machine is run in a secured access domain. From the machine controller actual control data are transmitted to the machine and resulting monitoring data are transmitted to a monitoring device. Furthermore, sensor data of the machine are transmitted to the concurrent simulation on a first secured transmission path. Based on the sensor data, the concurrent simulation simulates an operational behavior of the machine, thus inferring simulated monitoring data. The simulated monitoring data are then compared with the resulting monitoring, and an alarm signal is triggered depending on the comparison.

Abstract: Monitoring the integrity of industrial automation systems is provided. For example, a negative impact on integrity caused by unauthorized access should be identified. This is made possible by comparing state data which describe the operating state of the industrial automation system, with sensor data which describe an environmental influence of the automation system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transferring data in a publish-subscribe system (100) comprising a key distribution server (200) and a plurality of communication devices (101, 102, 103, 104) which can be coupled to the key distribution server (200) and which comprise at least one server device and a number of client devices.

Abstract: A detection device which is suitable for receiving a service within a network assembly is provided, having the following: means for providing cryptographic security at or above the transport level of the communication protocol levels which can be used in the network assembly for at least one first existing communication connection between the detection device and a network access device which is arranged in the network assembly and which can be used to monitor data detected by the detection device and/or control an additional device within the network assembly using the data detected by the detection device, means for generating and/or determining network access configuration data for at least one additional second communication connection, which is to be cryptographically secured below the transport level, between the detection device and the network access device, means for providing the generated and/or determined network access configuration data to the network access device.

Abstract: Provided is a method for transmitting data packets over a network from a sender to a receiver via a communication link consisting of at least one transmission section, via which the data packet is transmitted from a sender node to a receiver node, the method having the following steps for at least one transmission section: first security information, which includes information about a cryptographic protective function used in the transmission of the data packet via an adjacent transmission section, is assigned to the data packet by the sender node, the data packet having the assigned security information is transmitted to the receiver node of the transmission section, the security information is checked in the receiver node against a preset guideline, and at least one measure is provided in accordance with the result of the check.

Abstract: A method for verifying an execution environment provided by a configurable hardware module, where the execution environment is used for execution of at least one hardware-application, includes receiving a hardware-application 16. The hardware-application includes configuration data describing an instantiation as a hardware-application component on the configurable hardware module. A received hardware-application is instantiated as the hardware-application component in the execution environment. The execution environment of the configurable hardware module that executes the hardware-application component in the respective execution environment is analyzed by an instantiated hardware-application component. The hardware application component communicates with a characterizing unit providing characterizing parameters for the execution environment of the configurable hardware module.

Abstract: A method for validating a digital user certificate of a user by a checking device is provided. The user certificate is protected by a digital signature with an issuer key of an issuance location which issues the user certificate. The method has the steps of: receiving the user certificate in the checking device, checking the user certificate using a certificate path positive list with at least one valid certificate path which is provided to the checking device by at least one positive path server, and confirming the validity of the user certificate if the issuer key of the user certificate can be traced back to a root certificate according to one of the valid certificate paths of the certificate path positive list. Also provided is a system, a checking device, a user device, a positive path server, and a computer program product which are designed to carry out the method for validating a digital user certificate.

Abstract: A method, system, transmitter, and receiver for authenticating a transmitter are disclosed. The authentication is performed using an asymmetric key pair and using a digital signature. The method for authenticating the transmitter includes generating a user identification, calculating the digital signature, generating an authentication request message, and transmitting the authentication request message to a receiver.