Decentralized Industrial Security Architecture for Heterogeneous Automation Systems

Digital X.509 certificates are essential for securing automation systems. In industrial domains, such as automated production systems, there is a notable lack of innovative approaches for managing these certificates, especially when compared to the classical IT domain. This paper proposes an architecture for certificate management that is independent of underlying communication protocols, thereby enabling broader applicability. This approach is particularly beneficial for modular production systems, where the interchange of components is a regular occurrence. By enhancing security across diverse automated production systems, this method leads to increased trustworthiness and efficiency.