ABB Schweiz AG has developed a patent-published technology designed to automate digital certificate issuance and acquisition for industrial devices, addressing an important challenge in industrial network security: securely connecting and authenticating devices without requiring manual intervention at every provisioning step.

The invention, titled "Method for Issuing and Obtaining Certificates, Devices, and Computer Program Product," was published internationally under patent publication number WO2025199940A1 on October 2, 2025. The international patent application was filed on March 29, 2024, under application number PCT/CN2024/084782.

The patent describes an automated process in which an industrial device communicates its network address information, provides its device identifier when requested, and undergoes verification by a certificate management device. Once the device is verified as trusted, the management device issues a digital certificate that enables secure communications within the industrial network.

This approach is intended to reduce manual configuration work and potential provisioning errors, while supporting more efficient and scalable deployment of industrial network devices.

Importantly, WO2025199940A1 is a published international patent application, not confirmation of a granted patent. Its publication makes the disclosed technical approach publicly available, while the application status and any subsequent national or regional patent rights must be evaluated separately.

Why Automated Certificate Management Matters in Industrial Automation

Industrial networks are becoming increasingly interconnected as manufacturers adopt Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies, smart manufacturing systems and distributed automation architectures.

Modern industrial facilities may contain hundreds or thousands of connected devices, including:

• Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs)

• Distributed Control System (DCS) controllers

• Remote I/O modules

• Industrial Ethernet switches

• Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs)

• Industrial computers and gateways

• Intelligent sensors and field devices

• Industrial communication modules

These devices exchange operational information and control data across industrial networks. As connectivity increases, ensuring that each device is authentic and trusted becomes an important cybersecurity requirement.

Digital certificates are commonly used to establish trust between network participants. They can support device authentication and secure communication protocols by associating a device identity with cryptographic credentials.

However, manually configuring certificates across a large industrial installation can be time-consuming and difficult to maintain. Engineers may need to register devices, verify identities, distribute certificates and configure communication parameters individually.

In large-scale industrial environments, these repetitive procedures can increase deployment costs and create opportunities for configuration mistakes.

ABB's patent addresses this challenge through an automated certificate provisioning mechanism designed specifically for industrial network environments.

How ABB's Automated Certificate Issuance Technology Works

The patent describes a communication process involving two main components:

1. An industrial device that needs to obtain a digital certificate.

2. A certificate management device responsible for verifying the industrial device and issuing the certificate.

The process can be divided into several steps.

Step 1: Industrial Device Announces Its Network Information

When an industrial device joins an industrial network, it broadcasts network address information.

This allows the certificate management device to detect the presence of the device and initiate the provisioning process.

Step 2: The Management Device Requests the Device Identifier

After receiving the network information, the certificate management device sends a request asking the industrial device to provide its device identifier.

The identifier provides information that can be used to distinguish the device from other network participants.

Step 3: Device Identity Is Verified

The industrial device responds with its identifier.

The certificate management device then checks whether the device is trusted based on the received identifier and the relevant trusted-device information.

This verification step is central to the invention because it establishes whether the device is eligible to receive a certificate.

Step 4: A Digital Certificate Is Automatically Issued

Once the device passes verification, the certificate management device issues a digital certificate to the industrial device.

The certificate can then be used to establish secure communications with other devices in the industrial network.

Step 5: The Industrial Device Obtains Its Certificate

The industrial device receives the certificate from the certificate management device and can use it as part of its secure communication configuration.

The patent also describes the corresponding method performed by the industrial device, as well as electronic-device and computer-program-product implementations.

The overall objective is to automate the verification and certificate provisioning process without requiring manual intervention during each individual device enrollment procedure.

Key Technical Features of the Patent

Several technical aspects make this invention relevant to industrial automation cybersecurity.

1. Automated Device Authentication

The certificate management device verifies an industrial device using its device identifier.

This creates a structured mechanism for distinguishing trusted devices from devices that have not been authorized to join the industrial network.

Automated identity verification can reduce repetitive manual checks, particularly in installations involving large numbers of industrial devices.

2. Automatic Digital Certificate Issuance

Following successful verification, the management device issues a certificate for secure industrial network communications.

Automating this process can simplify certificate deployment and reduce the workload associated with manually distributing credentials.

3. Reduced Human Intervention

One of the main objectives of the disclosed method is to eliminate the need for manual involvement in the described verification and certificate issuance workflow.

For industrial system integrators and automation engineers, this can make device commissioning more efficient and help reduce provisioning errors.

It does not mean that the entire cybersecurity management process becomes fully autonomous. Initial trust configuration, authorization policies, certificate lifecycle management and security monitoring may still require administrative oversight.

4. Electronic Device and Software Implementation

The patent is not limited to a single physical device.

It also describes an electronic device comprising at least one processor and memory containing executable instructions.

In addition, the invention covers a computer program product containing computer-readable instructions that enable a computer to perform the described certificate issuance or acquisition methods.

This software-oriented implementation makes the technology relevant to industrial network management platforms and automation infrastructure.

5. Support for Industrial Network Provisioning

The patent also discusses network address allocation and device provisioning procedures.

One disclosed implementation involves Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) messages and the use of device or slot identifiers in network address allocation.

This illustrates how certificate provisioning can be considered alongside other device onboarding activities rather than as an isolated security operation.

Potential Applications in Industrial Automation

Automated certificate provisioning can be relevant to different industrial environments where secure device communication and efficient commissioning are important.

Smart Manufacturing and Industrial Ethernet Networks

Modern manufacturing facilities use interconnected controllers, remote I/O stations, industrial computers and communication equipment.

Automated certificate provisioning can help simplify the onboarding of authorized devices and support secure communication architectures.

PLC and DCS Systems

PLC and DCS installations often contain multiple controllers, engineering stations, operator interfaces and distributed field devices.

Managing device identities and digital certificates can become increasingly complex as systems expand.

The technology described in ABB's patent provides an approach for reducing manual work during device authentication and certificate deployment.

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)

IIoT applications connect industrial equipment to monitoring platforms, edge gateways and data management systems.

As the number of connected devices increases, automated identity verification and certificate management become more important for maintaining network security.

Industrial Edge Computing

Edge computing systems frequently operate as communication and processing points between field equipment and higher-level industrial applications.

Secure device authentication can help establish trusted communication relationships between edge devices and other network components.

Distributed Industrial Networks

Large industrial plants may contain multiple network segments and geographically distributed equipment.

Automated certificate provisioning can help standardize device enrollment procedures across these environments, provided that the relevant trust and network management infrastructure is properly configured.

These are potential application areas based on the patent's disclosed technical approach. They should not be interpreted as confirmation that ABB has released a commercial product implementing the invention in each application.

Benefits for Industrial System Integrators and Equipment Manufacturers

For industrial system integrators, the deployment of network-connected equipment involves more than installing hardware and assigning IP addresses.

Each device may also need to be identified, authenticated and configured to communicate securely with other components.

ABB's proposed approach could provide several practical advantages.

Reduced Commissioning Workload

Automating certificate verification and issuance can reduce repetitive configuration tasks during the commissioning of industrial networks.

Fewer Provisioning Errors

A standardized automated workflow can reduce the risk of mistakes associated with manually entering device information or distributing certificates.

Improved Device Identity Management

Using device identifiers as part of the trust verification process provides a structured way to manage which industrial devices are permitted to obtain communication certificates.

Better Scalability

As industrial installations expand, automated provisioning can help reduce the additional administrative workload associated with connecting new devices.

Support for Industrial Cybersecurity Strategies

Certificate-based authentication can form part of a broader cybersecurity architecture that includes network segmentation, access control, encryption, monitoring and vulnerability management.

The actual benefits will depend on the industrial network design, the certificate management infrastructure and the security policies implemented by the system operator.

The Importance of Certificate Management in Industrial Cybersecurity

Digital certificates are an important component of Public Key Infrastructure (PKI), which provides mechanisms for managing digital identities and establishing trusted communications.

In industrial environments, certificate management involves several interconnected activities:

• Device identity registration and verification.

• Certificate issuance and distribution.

• Secure storage and use of cryptographic credentials.

• Certificate renewal and expiration management.

• Revocation of compromised or unauthorized certificates.

• Monitoring and auditing of certificate-related activities.

ABB's patent focuses primarily on automating device verification and certificate issuance or acquisition.

However, a complete industrial cybersecurity solution requires more than automatic certificate generation. Organizations must also establish policies for certificate validity, private-key protection, renewal, revocation and recovery.

Standards and frameworks such as IEC 62443 provide important guidance for industrial automation and control system cybersecurity. Certificate-based authentication can complement these broader security practices.

For operators of critical infrastructure and industrial production facilities, combining automated provisioning with a well-designed cybersecurity management framework is essential.

ABB's Patent and Its Significance for Industrial Network Security

The publication of WO2025199940A1 demonstrates ABB Schweiz AG's research activity in industrial network security and automated device provisioning.

The invention focuses on a specific technical problem: how to verify industrial devices and issue the certificates required for secure communications with less manual intervention.

Rather than relying on engineers to perform every certificate provisioning step individually, the disclosed method uses communication between industrial devices and a certificate management device to automate the process.

This is particularly relevant as industrial networks move toward greater connectivity and more distributed architectures.

For equipment manufacturers and automation professionals, the development highlights the growing importance of integrating cybersecurity into the device commissioning process itself.

It also reflects a wider industry direction in which industrial equipment is expected to provide not only reliable control and monitoring functions but also secure network identities.

Conclusion

ABB Schweiz AG's international patent publication WO2025199940A1 introduces an automated approach to issuing and obtaining digital certificates for industrial devices.

By combining network discovery, device identifier requests, trust verification and automatic certificate issuance, the disclosed method aims to simplify secure device provisioning in industrial networks.

The technology could help reduce manual configuration work, limit potential provisioning errors and support more efficient deployment of connected industrial equipment.

For industrial automation manufacturers, system integrators and plant operators, automated certificate management is becoming an increasingly important part of industrial cybersecurity.

As IIoT, smart manufacturing and distributed control systems continue to expand, technologies that simplify device authentication and secure communication provisioning will remain relevant to the future development of industrial networks.