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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_NPG_027
Title	Centralock - remote access management system
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given Northern Powergrid
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 August 2018
End Date	01 August 2021
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£725,000
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	Yorkshire & Humberside
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Northern Powergrid (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Northern Powergrid (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_NPG_027
Objectives	With our partners, RT Design & Development (RTD) and Hodgson Sayers (HS), we have undertaken a desktop simulation of an IT and telecoms based remote access management system developed by for use in high security remote applications, typically bank automatic teller machines (ATMs). The system, faciltated in the field through standard mobile telephones with high security enabling software, appears to have the following attractive characteristics for utility use: Remote access approval Remote access control Dynamic reconfiguration of access rights and permissions. Full audit trail of access and egress activities with time-stamping. Potential link to alarm receiving centre. System based on current proven, company standard mobile phone technology, linked to a central control server. Can be reconfigured to provide ongoing protection without relying on patent protected mechanical systems which need replacing on expiry of the intellectual property protection. Can be used as part of a hybrid electronic/mechanical locking approach providing first point of entry security with more standard keys following. Full remote lockdown or global opening of sites. Potential to interface with existing fire and security systems. We propose to trial this technology and assess its potential to overcome some of the problems inherent in the current physical access system and to assess the potential for long term cost savings both in terms of asset life cycle and improvements in operational efficiency. The trial will be undertaken with regard to the requirements of loss prevention standard LPS 1175 and the legacy issues associated with the current door stock.Product development, based on their pre-existing intellectual property, will be undertaken by the partner organisations at their own cost. Northern Powergrid will undertake the management of access to operational procedures, assets and the assessment of the system in line with the requirements of both ourselves and the likely requirements of other licenced network operators. A functional specification for such systems will be produced to allow the development of similar systems by other parties. The scope of the project covers all sites and assets that require controlled access through the current key based access control system. The innovative nature of this project is the use of a software faciltated locking and lock administration system, via mobile telephony, based on a technology adapted from a different but high security application. The use of insecure physical keys is erradicted and virtual keys with a variety of selectable charcteristics such as one-off use can be created remotely and immediately. The project will deliver an assessment of the Centralock systems capabilities and its suitability to be deployed across a range of electricity and other utilities access management applications. The systems capabilities will be assessed according to, but not limited by, the following: General assessment of the standalone use of the system on remote sites which are isolated from standard office access control systems Assessment up to BSIA Grade 4 level of access control Assessment of operation in both stand-alone and centrally managed access control modes dynamically switching between modes under the control of the central management control suite Assessment of the ability to fulfil a duty of care role by using a bespoke Smartphone application to stream live video to the control suite allowing users to be remotely monitored in hazardous conditions. Complete mechanical testing up to LPS 1175 issue 7 (security standard) to levels SR 1 to 4 with two selected door sets (Apeiron and Epsilon ranges). Confirm that security levels can be dynamically managed by the Management Suite and can have their firmware updated in-situ through the Smartphone Assess ability to retro-fit to Northern Powergrids existing door sets from the Apeiron or Epsilon ranges Assessment of security of Centralock transmissions features: Encrypts all confidential data using 128-bit AES Transport Layer Security (TLS) between the Management Suite and the Smartphone Assess Bluetooth Low Energy link layer encryption between the Smartphone and the electronic lock Ensure that lost or stolen Smartphones can be centrally blocked by the management suite meaning no more site visits to change locks when a user loses their key Ensure that all legal and regulatory standards required to achieve CE compliance Assess quality assurance in terms of ensuring that PINs are generated by the system to ensure that they are unique and none have 3 or more repeating digits. Development of a functional specification for remote access systems.
Abstract	Access to network assets is a critical activity for networks - both ensuring that the right people have appropriate access at the right place and time and also in ensuring those who should not have access are kept out.Our standard iron key approach is increasingly difficult to manage to meet this requirement. Additionally alternative technologies can potentially deliver a whole new range of useful capabilities alongside vanilla asset security.Software enabled locking systems are available but do not provide the levels of flexibility or security that are required. Nor do they overcome many of the issues of the current iron keysets.This project aims to further develop, modify and trial a system based on technologies currently used in the banking sector that may be able to address the shortcomings of the currently available approaches.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	14/12/22