A secure industrial control system, comprising: an action originator and a communications/control module configured to be at least partially operated according to action requests from the action originator; an action authenticator remotely located from the action originator and including a storage medium with a private key stored thereon and a processor configured to sign an action request from the action originator with the private key and send the signed action request to the communications/control module; and wherein the communications/control module is in communication with one or more industrial elements, the one or more industrial elements including at least one input/output module operable to receive sensor information or send control information to an actuator, the communications/control module including at least one processor and a non-transitory medium bearing a set of instructions executable by the at least one processor, the set of instructions including instructions to: receive the signed action request from the action authenticator and verify the authenticity of the signed action request, wherein verifying the authenticity of the signed action request further comprises: receiving a request datagram from the action authenticator, the request datagram including a first nonce, a first device authentication key certificate, and a first identity attribute certificate; validating the request datagram by verifying the first device authentication key certificate and the first identity attribute certificate; sending a response datagram to the action authenticator when the request datagram is valid, the response datagram including a second nonce, a first signature associated with the first and second nonces, a second device authentication key certificate, and a second identity attribute certificate; receiving an authentication datagram from the action authenticator, the authentication datagram including a second signature associated with the first and second nonces; and validating the authentication datagram by verifying the second signature associated with the first and second nonces; and perform the requested action when the authenticity of the signed action request is verified, wherein the action request includes one or more operator control actions from the action originator for monitoring and/or controlling sensor and/or actuator instrumentation. an action originator and a communications/control module configured to be at least partially operated according to action requests from the action originator; an action authenticator remotely located from the action originator and including a storage medium with a private key stored thereon and a processor configured to sign an action request from the action originator with the private key and send the signed action request to the communications/control module; and wherein the communications/control module is in communication with one or more industrial elements, the one or more industrial elements including at least one input/output module operable to receive sensor information or send control information to an actuator, the communications/control module including at least one processor and a non-transitory medium bearing a set of instructions executable by the at least one processor, the set of instructions including instructions to: receive the signed action request from the action authenticator and verify the authenticity of the signed action request, wherein verifying the authenticity of the signed action request further comprises: receiving a request datagram from the action authenticator, the request datagram including a first nonce, a first device authentication key certificate, and a first identity attribute certificate; validating the request datagram by verifying the first device authentication key certificate and the first identity attribute certificate; sending a response datagram to the action authenticator when the request datagram is valid, the response datagram including a second nonce, a first signature associated with the first and second nonces, a second device authentication key certificate, and a second identity attribute certificate; receiving an authentication datagram from the action authenticator, the authentication datagram including a second signature associated with the first and second nonces; and validating the authentication datagram by verifying the second signature associated with the first and second nonces; and receiving a request datagram from the action authenticator, the request datagram including a first nonce, a first device authentication key certificate, and a first identity attribute certificate; validating the request datagram by verifying the first device authentication key certificate and the first identity attribute certificate; sending a response datagram to the action authenticator when the request datagram is valid, the response datagram including a second nonce, a first signature associated with the first and second nonces, a second device authentication key certificate, and a second identity attribute certificate; receiving an authentication datagram from the action authenticator, the authentication datagram including a second signature associated with the first and second nonces; and validating the authentication datagram by verifying the second signature associated with the first and second nonces; and perform the requested action when the authenticity of the signed action request is verified, wherein the action request includes one or more operator control actions from the action originator for monitoring and/or controlling sensor and/or actuator instrumentation.