Bert Schultheiss and Rinze Krol

1
Secure, web-based technical data exchange
within the SILENCE(R) project

• Bert Schultheiss and Rinze Krol
• National Aerospace Laboratory NLR, The
  Netherlands
• schulth_at_nlr.nl, rkrol_at_nlr.nl
• Aerospace PDE 2002, 11 April 2002

2
Overview

• SILENCE(R) project
• Requirements
• Security implementation issues
• Implementation Technical Data Exchange System
• Implementation User Account Management
• Conclusions

3
SILENCE(R) project

• Significantly Lower Community Exposure to
  Aircraft Noise
• Noise reduction of 3dB on short term - 6 dB on
  long term
• Funded by EC under the GROWTH program
• 4 year, started in 2001
• 51 partners. Co-ordinated by Snecma Moteurs

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Requirements (1)

• Focus on procedures and means to exchange
  datarather than data conversion support
• Web-based
• No client software, no plug-ins
• Have attributes that describe the data
• When data sets are too large only use system for
  procedures, but do not upload the actual data

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Requirements (2)

• Allow search on data attributes
• Allow search on contents
• Only in case of plain text, word documents, etc.
• E-mail notification upon arriving of new or
  updated data (subscription)
• Procedures for submitting and reviewing
• Version control

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Requirements security (3)

• Data exchange on a need-to-know basis
• Role-based access rights
• Authentication
• Secure communication over the internet
• User account management
• Only existing users can request a new account

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Security implementation issues

• Project Zone a zone within an enterprise having
  its own project specific security measures
• SILENCE(R) hosts in NLRs SILENCE(R) Project Zone
• NLRs SILENCE(R) Project Zone only allowsSecure
  HTTP (HTTPS)

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Implementation TDES (1) (Technical Data
Exchange System)

• Using Windchill
• Configured for HTTPS
• Windchill Customisation (Java)
• to provide a SILENCE(R) object, with additional
  attributes
• to hide unused functionality
• Portal pages provide easy access links into the
  Windchill System

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Implementation TDES (2)

• Folder hierarchy 12 Work packages, 44 tasks,
  120 sub tasks, and per sub task companies.
• Access restrictions need-to-know basis. only
  members of a work package, task, sub task can
  access the related folder
• E.g Data exchange for WP3.2, Task 1, Sub task 2
  must be stored in its related folder.
• Procedures implemented using work flows
• Users receive e-mails with link to document or
  action (e.g. review)

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Implementation TDES (3)

• Easy access via portal pages

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Implementation TDES (4)

• Folder hierarchy only folders that can be
  accessed are shown

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Implementation TDES (5)

• E.g. Create document in folder accessible by
  Snecma Moteurs and NLR in order to discuss it and
  modify it.

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Implementation TDES (6)

• Subscription allows users to receive change
  notifications

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Implementation TDES (7)

• Version history can be inspected

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Implementation (1)User Account Management

• Web form for requesting new account
• Only existing users can access this web page
• Requests are approved by SILENCE(R) user account
  manager
• User account information is stored centrally -
  all SILENCE(R) support means systems are updated
  

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Implementation (2)User Account Management

• Request a new account

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Implementation (3)User Account Management

• Users can inspect their account information,
  change attribute values, change their password

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Conclusions

• Security by using Project Zone and HTTPS
• NLRs SILENCE(R) project zone only reachable via
  HTTPS
• E-mails contain html links into the system no
  data.
• Actual data is transferred after logging in and
  using HTTPS
• Security need-to-know basis is provided by
• Work Package, Task, Sub-task hierarchy
• Role based
• HTML based.
• E.g. no Java 2 installation required at
  end-users computers
• Standard Netscape and Internet Explorer web
  browsers
• System is now in use to support archiving of,
  access to, and updating technical documents,
  minutes of meeting, etc..