PALIS

Permissive Action Link Integrity System (PALIS) is a high-assurance Metatron access control system for systems that must never trigger due to unintentional or unauthorised access, but also never fail to trigger during intended, authorised actions. This includes applications such as in weapons of mass destruction, or the activation of inter-dimensional bridge generators.

Design

PALIS consists of multiple components: the ACSO (authentication controller), arming keyswitches, anti-tamper devices, a backup power supply, optionally failsafe detonators, and forcefield generators. The system can be configured to support any number of required arming keyswitches, but the usual count is three. Metatron uses the Krocera K-Lock V100 as the standard mechanical locking system.

A number of conditions must be met: all keyswitches must be turned within 3 seconds of each other and held until completion, cryptographic authentication must succeed within 1 second of mechanical unlocking, and the locks must be mechanically open before cryptographic authentication can occur. Failure of any of these conditions can be configured to self destruct the arming system as a failsafe, and render the target under protection inert from further attack. Any other manipulation, such as picking the locks or subjecting any part of the system to physical or electronic attacks, may result in the same.

Applications

Bridge Laboratories

In bridge laboratories, the PALIS forms the centrepiece of the bridge generator's security infrastructure. It is integrated into the wider Facility Termination System, and configured to automatically trigger the system countdown if tampering is detected. It requires that both experiment supervisors on the control deck of the laboratory, as well as the facility director, turn their keys at the same time to authorise sequence start. The decoded cryptographic sequence from the mechanical code units in the keyswitches is then transmitted to the targeting computer in order to place it in Reality Critical (RC) unlock mode when the start sequence demands it.