Safe and Secure Wireless Networked Control Systems

Wireless technology has gained much interestin industrial automation due to its flexibility, mobility, easeof installation, and lower cost. Wireless systems, in general,require additional and different engineering and maintenancetasks, for example cryptographic key management for security.The pace of application in process control has been impeded,however, by concern about the risks involved in incorporatingwireless paths in feedback loops and making the accommoda-tions necessary for reliable control. The issue is that there areconflicts between maintaining control loop performance andthe usual objectives in managing a wireless sensor network.In this paper, we take a holistic approach that addressessafety, reliability and security in two primary aspects: com-munication and control; thus we hope to contribute a morecomplete roadmap for developing safe and secure wireless net-worked control systems. This proposed framework representsa synthesis of two formerly separate bodies of research, oneprimarily focussed on communication requirements for safetyand security and the other on safe and reliable controls.