Enhanced Data Authentication System (EDAS): Concept, Demonstration and Applications

Abstract

Within the framework of the Safeguards R&D collaboration agreement between the US DoE and the EURATOM Community, Sandia National Laboratories, JRC-ITU (Ispra) and DG-Energy (Luxembourg) engaged in a collaborative project aiming at providing Safeguards authentication for a nuclear facility owned sensor or instrument. The main underlying idea is to use operator's owned devices for Safeguards purposes. The concept is the Enhanced Data Authentication System (EDAS). EDAS transparently captures, authenticates, and encrypts communication data that is transmitted between operator control computers and connected sensor points utilized in nuclear processes controls. The intent is to capture information as close to the sensor point as possible to assure the highest possible confidence in the authenticity of the collected data. To achieve this, an EDAS prototype was demonstrated at JRC, Ispra. In its current version, EDAS can be used with sensors or instruments that can be interfaced via an RS-232 or RS-485 communication port both for data output and input (configuration). The demonstration included the real-time authentication of data coming from sensors used in Process Monitoring (i.e., pressure sensors Mensor 6180 and 6100) or Surveillance (i.e., Laser Measurement System SICK LMS-200). The paper discusses the motivation behind EDAS, describes its most relevant technical features, and details the results of the demonstration held at Ispra in April 2010 for both EURATOM and IAEA inspectorates. Finally, the paper will discuss the next steps for development and evaluation including future potential applications of this system.