IP protection of PLC code

[Garyhlucas]

My boss has asked about protecting our IP investment in the PLC code that runs our product.  In our industry no one bothers to password protect the PLC because lots of the work actually gets done by outside contractors and it is different contractors from one job to the next.  However we are doing something kind of unique in this industry by building a 'product' rather than a 'custom engineered solution'.  So our PLC isn't constantly changing to accommodate the job but is instead simply getting better. One good thing AB has 80% of the market and AD about 1% so not too likely to be direct theft.

Thoughts?

[BobO]

If you are asking if Do-more can do that, the answer is yes. Right-click on a code block, select "Configure Code-Block", and then select "Code-Block Protection" at the bottom.

[franji1]

There are User Password capabilities in all Do-more PLCs.  You can have the default user (no password) to just read/write data (HMI access, but not Designer access), but then assign different passwords for different privileges based on the different user/password.  Do-more is much more advanced compared to DirectLOGIC regarding security.

This is good if you do not want ANYBODY connecting via Designer (except those who know the password).  You can even have some users who can READ the PROJECT from the PLC, but CANNOT WRITE PROJECT to the PLC (Write Project and Read Project are 2 different security privileges in Do-more).

The full list is:
RD - Read Data
WD - Write Data
RP - Read Project
WP - Write Project
SS - System Settings
PM - Change PLC Mode
PW - Change Password
FW - Update Firmware
FS - Access File System

See PLC->Password...

[Garyhlucas]

Ah yes,
I see that Do-More is way more sophisticated than Direct Logic in this regard.  Is there a way to write programs into the PLC with all of the tag names, comments, etc. stripped out?  Can that be saved as file that could be loaded on the BRX SD card?

I hate passwords and all the security BS we have today.  Can't we just execute some hackers as an example for the rest and move on?

[Controls Guy]

Execution is too quick.  I say torture, like in Sleeper when they showed Woody Allen tapes of Howard Cosell.

[BobO]

Is there a way to write programs into the PLC with all of the tag names, comments, etc. stripped out?  Can that be saved as file that could be loaded on the BRX SD card?

Yes, you can store the program to SD card, but no, you cannot strip anything. I'm sorry that the world sucks, but code-block passwords and comm session passwords is all we have at the moment.

Unrelated, but kinda in the same vein: Elderly mother-in-law fell victim to scammers. Losses were greatly mitigated by my vigilant wife, but these vultures keep attempting to mine her accounts even after it was made clear to them that we were on to them. In most brazen activity to date, they ordered checks on her (now closed) account and had them delivered to a physical address. Yes, a physical address. Did I mention that we are very strong 2nd Amendment types here at Host? You take my money, I get mad. You take the money of a helpless 83 year-old widow, I get violently mad. Must. Restrain. Urge. To. Kill.

[DLTimmons]

Bob0

You are in good company on this one. The Bible is clear on miss treating widows.

[BobO]

Bob0

You are in good company on this one. The Bible is clear on miss treating widows.

I will readily concede that I struggle at times to tell the difference between a holy anger over abuse of the innocent, and just good old fashioned East Tennessee redneck flesh, but God is gracious if we are willing to admit our failings.

[DLTimmons]

It is a good thing He does not give us what we deserve.

[Garyhlucas]

What calms me down is picturing myself standing in a cool clear stream on a beautiful sunny day.  The water is delightful, and so crystal clear I can easily see the terror in the eyes of the worthless hacker I am drowning. Afterwards I'll have a nice picnic lunch.

[Controls Guy]

Elderly mother-in-law fell victim to scammers. Losses were greatly mitigated by my vigilant wife, but these vultures keep attempting to mine her accounts even after it was made clear to them that we were on to them. In most brazen activity to date, they ordered checks on her (now closed) account and had them delivered to a physical address. Yes, a physical address. Did I mention that we are very strong 2nd Amendment types here at Host? You take my money, I get mad. You take the money of a helpless 83 year-old widow, I get violently mad. Must. Restrain. Urge. To. Kill.

Have to test Predator drones somewhere.....

[plcnut]

You are in good company on this one. The Bible is clear on miss treating widows.

Amen to that!
We bought a house that a widow had owned for years before she passed. You can tell where her husband had good, old-time, quality workmanship, and where others had come along later to take advantage and had done all kinds of shoddy and worthless work. I cannot imagine someone who could do this kind of work, and then be able to hand a bill to someone expecting them to pay for it...
It tells a lot about a man in  how he will treat a widow!

[BobO]

What calms me down is picturing myself standing in a cool clear stream on a beautiful sunny day.  The water is delightful, and so crystal clear I can easily see the terror in the eyes of the worthless hacker I am drowning. Afterwards I'll have a nice picnic lunch.

L. O. L. Seriously...that's funny.

[davidbgtx]

Bob0

You are in good company on this one. The Bible is clear on miss treating widows.

I will readily concede that I struggle at times to tell the difference between a holy anger over abuse of the innocent, and just good old fashioned East Tennessee redneck flesh, but God is gracious if we are willing to admit our failings.

Hate the sin and not the sinner, vengeance is the Lord's not mine, I struggle with these also, especially in the short term.