Research and implementation of security mechanism in ISA100.11a networks

The deployment of wireless technologies for device communication in the industrial control field is a challenging and promising issue mainly due to the increasing flexibility and the mobility. However, with limited resources such as computation capability and memory, traditional security solutions can not guarantee security requirements and communications overhead in industrial wireless networks. The ISA100.11a standard defines the protocol suite, system management, gateway, and security specifications for low-data-rate wireless connectivity with fixed, portable, and moving devices supporting very limited power consumption requirements. In this paper, the security architecture and security protocol stack for ISA100.11a networks are proposed. Furthermore, we survey security service measures to improve data confidentiality and integrity, and to prevent some attacks including reply attack. Finally, our test results show these security measures may enhance the security reliability of the ISA100.11a network communication.