A Secure Dual-MCU Architecture for Robust Communication of IIoT Devices
This addresses security risks for IIoT systems in industrial settings like factories, but it appears incremental as it builds on existing secure architecture concepts.
The paper tackles the security vulnerabilities in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices by proposing a dual Microcontroller Unit (MCU) architecture to ensure resilient control, with a Proof of Concept implementation and benchmark comparison to a standard PLC.
The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has already become a part of our everyday life be it water supply, smart grid, or production, IIoT is everywhere. For example, factory operators want to know the current state of the production line. These new demands for data acquisition in modern plants require industrial components to be able to communicate. Nowadays, network communication in Industrial Control Systems (ICSs) is often implemented via an IP-based protocol. This intercommunication also brings a larger attack surface for hackers. If an IIoT device is influenced by attackers, the physical process could be affected. For example, a high network load could cause a high Central Processing Unit (CPU) load and influence the reaction time on the physical control side. In this paper, we introduce a dual Microcontroller Unit (MCU) setup to ensure a resilient controlling for IIoT devices like Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs). We introduce a possible solution for the demand of secure architectures in the IIoT. Moreover, we provide a Proof of Concept (PoC) implementation with a benchmark and a comparison with a standard PLC.