SPS IPC Drives 2016: OPC UA Security Extension powered by CodeMeter Technology

At this year's edition of SPS IPC Drives, Wibu-Systems introduces the OPC UA Security Extension at its booth 660 in hall 7. The collaboration between Unified Automation and Wibu-Systems has resulted in Unified Automation's ANSI C based OPC UA SDK, a ready-to-use set of tools that helps incorporate the secure licensing features of Wibu-Systems' CodeMeter in any OPC UA project.

One of the main benefits in terms of security is the ability to store the private encryption keys for creating OPC UA security profiles no longer in a file, but rather in the smart card embedded in any of CodeMeter’s hardware secure element (CmDongles).

Manufacturers active in the automation industry can therefore benefit from the ability to use the OPC UA standard for cross-vendor, platform-independent M2M communications while availing themselves of CodeMeter's integrated security mechanisms that are working quickly and seamlessly in the background.

The secure and reliable sharing of data in Industrie 4.0 can only be possible if every individual actor, from machines to the smallest sensor, is identified unequivocally and communication is not manipulated. At that point, each networked device knows with whom it is allowed to share untampered data.

Developers who want to upgrade their projects with the OPC UA SDK can choose between a purely software-based solution with OpenSSL or a hardware-based variant and work with a special library of CodeMeter Embedded.

CodeMeter provides secure key storage for the private keys of OPC UA certificates and licensing information of machine configurations that cannot be modified by unauthorized personnel. As a hardware safeguard, CmDongles are available with USB interfaces or as memory cards (SD, microSD, CF or CFast) or ASICs in a small VQFN package. The securely stored keys are used for symmetric and asymmetric encryption, ensuring the identity of the devices and the confidentiality and integrity of data.

Oliver Winzenried, CEO and founder of Wibu-Systems, explains: "Security is crucial for networked production operations. The OPC UA standard offers many functions that can facilitate the rise of smart factories. The new OPC UA security extension powered by CodeMeter makes it easy for device manufacturers to integrate secure licensing capabilities that boost OPC UA’s native features and open new monetization opportunities."