ABB Develops Patent Technology for Automated Certificate Issuance and Device Authentication in Indus
Time:2026-11-03 Browse: 2
ABB Advances Zero-Touch Device Authentication to Strengthen Industrial Network Security
ABB Schweiz AG has filed a patent application for a technology designed to automate digital certificate issuance and acquisition for industrial devices, potentially simplifying device authentication and improving cybersecurity in industrial networks.
The patent, titled Method for Issuing and Obtaining Certificates, Devices, and Computer Program Product, describes a process that allows industrial devices to obtain security certificates through automated identity verification, without requiring manual intervention at each device.
According to the patent publication WO2025199940A1, the application was filed on March 29, 2024, and published internationally on October 2, 2025. The corresponding Chinese patent publication number reported is CN123023288A.
How Does ABB's Automated Certificate Issuance Technology Work?
The proposed technology introduces an automated communication and verification process between industrial devices and a certificate management device.
The process consists of several key steps:
1. Automatic Network Address Discovery
An industrial device broadcasts its network address information within the industrial network. The certificate management device receives this information and identifies the device requesting access.
2. Device Identifier Request
The certificate management device sends a request to the industrial device for its unique device identifier. This identifier provides the basis for subsequent authentication.
3. Automated Device Identity Verification
After receiving the device identifier, the certificate management device checks whether the identifier belongs to a trusted device. The patent describes using a predefined list or identifier table of trusted devices to perform this verification.
4. Automatic Digital Certificate Issuance
Once the device passes the verification process, the certificate management device issues a digital certificate to the industrial device. The certificate can then be used to establish secure communications within the industrial network.
The patent also describes the corresponding certificate acquisition process on the industrial device side, as well as electronic devices and computer program products capable of implementing these procedures.
Why Is Automated Certificate Management Important for Industrial Automation?
As industrial automation systems become increasingly connected, secure communication between controllers, field devices, network infrastructure and other industrial components is becoming more important.
Traditional device commissioning and certificate configuration can involve multiple manual steps, particularly in industrial environments with large numbers of connected devices.
ABB's proposed approach addresses several practical challenges.
Reduced Manual Configuration
Automating device identification and certificate issuance can reduce the need for engineers to manually configure security credentials for individual devices.
Improved Device Authentication
By checking device identifiers against trusted device records, the system introduces an automated verification mechanism before issuing certificates.
More Efficient Industrial Network Deployment
Automated certificate provisioning could simplify the commissioning of new industrial devices and help reduce configuration time in complex industrial networks.
Support for Secure Industrial Communications
Digital certificates are an important component of certificate-based authentication and secure communication architectures. The proposed method is intended to help industrial devices obtain the credentials needed to communicate securely within an industrial network.
Potential Applications in Industrial Control Systems
The technology is relevant to industrial environments where reliable device identification, secure communication and efficient commissioning are essential.
Potential application scenarios include:
PLC and DCS Systems: Supporting automated certificate provisioning for industrial controllers and distributed control system components.
Industrial Ethernet Networks: Simplifying device authentication during network deployment and expansion.
Smart Manufacturing: Helping manage the identities and security credentials of connected manufacturing equipment.
Industrial IoT Infrastructure: Supporting scalable device authentication in increasingly connected industrial environments.
Industrial Equipment Replacement: Potentially simplifying the integration and authentication of replacement devices, subject to compatibility and system configuration.
Actual implementation will depend on the industrial network architecture, device capabilities, certificate management infrastructure and applicable security policies.
What Does This Mean for the Future of Industrial Cybersecurity?
ABB's patent highlights an important direction in industrial cybersecurity: moving from manual device configuration toward automated identity verification and certificate provisioning.
As industrial facilities adopt more connected equipment and expand their automation networks, managing device identities and security credentials can become increasingly complex.
Automated certificate management offers a potential way to reduce commissioning workloads while establishing a more consistent approach to device authentication.
However, certificate issuance alone does not guarantee complete industrial network security. Effective protection also requires secure key management, certificate lifecycle management, access control, network segmentation and continuous security monitoring.
ABB's proposed technology represents a technical approach to addressing one important part of this challenge: establishing trusted device identities and enabling secure communications with less manual intervention.
For industrial automation operators, system integrators and equipment manufacturers, developments in automated certificate management are worth following as industrial cybersecurity requirements continue to evolve.
