Investigations on Security Aspects in Clock Synchronized Industrial Ethernet

The synchronization of clocks in distributed systems is an enabling technology for real-time industrial automation applications using Ethernet. Clock synchronization systems are enablers to bring real-time and automation constraints together with well-introduced technologies used in the office and management level. Nevertheless, the architectural advantages of Industrial Ethernet seamless integration of management and maintenance open also new vulnerabilities to the system including to the underlying service of clock synchronization. This article will have a look at the vulnerabilities and attacks against the clock of synchronized nodes. Special focus is set on hardware-oriented and non-cryptographic measures.