Adam Hahn

A multi-layered and kill-chain based security analysis framework for cyber-physical systems

This paper introduces a novel framework for understanding cyber attacks and the related risks to cyber-physical systems. The framework consists of two elements, a three-layered logical model and reference architecture for cyber-physical systems, and a meta-model of cyber-physical system attacks that is referred to as the cyber-physical system kill-chain. The layered reference architecture provides a systematic basis for studying how the causal chain associated with cyber perturbations can be traced all the way to physical perturbations. The cyber-physical system kill-chain describes the progressive stages of attacks to illuminate the steps required for an attacker to launch a successful attack against a cyber-physical system. The proposed framework offers a novel approach for comprehensively studying the elements of cyber-physical system attacks, including the attacker objectives, cyber exploitation, control-theoretic properties and physical system properties. The framework is evaluated using a simulated unmanned aerial system and the results of the evaluation are discussed. The longer-term goal is to use the framework as a means to deduce cyber-physical system security properties and to enumerate the principles for designing systems that are resilient to cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity for distributed energy resources and smart inverters

The increased penetration of distributed energy resources (DER) will significantly increase the number of devices that are owned and controlled by consumers and third-parties. These devices have a significant dependency on digital communication and control, which presents a growing risk from cyber-attacks. This study proposes a holistic attack-resilient framework to protect the integrated DER and the critical power grid infrastructure from malicious cyber-attacks, helping ensure the secure integration of DER without harming the grid reliability and stability. Specifically, the authors discuss the architecture of the cyber-physical power system with a high penetration of DER and analyse the unique cybersecurity challenges introduced by DER integration. Next, they summarise important attack scenarios against DER, propose a systematic DER resilience analysis methodology, and develop effective and quantifiable resilience metrics and design principles. Finally, they introduce attack prevention, detection, and response measures specifically designed for DER integration across cyber, physical device, and utility layers of the future smart grid.

Real-time co-simulation testbed for micro grid cyber-physical analysis

This paper provides an overview of the development of a real-time cyber-physical testbed for analyzing the impact of cyber events on the critical loads in a microgrid. A real-time, cyber-physical co-simulation testbed utilizing a Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) for simulating the power system, Common Open Research Emulator (CORE) for emulation of the communication network, and a TCP/IP based interface is used in this work. The testbed is used to simulate a Army microgrid based model for validation. Cyber-physical system simulation results demonstrates the ability of the testbed to implement the cyber attacks and analyze the impact on microgrid.

Smart contract-based campus demonstration of decentralized transactive energy auctions

Transactive energy paradigms will enable the exchange of energy from a distributed set of prosumers. While prosumers have access to distributed energy resources, these resources are intermittently available. There is a need for distributed markets to enable the exchange of energy in transactive environments, however, the large number of potential prosumers introduces challenges in the establishment of trust between prosumers. Markets for transactive environments create other challenges, such as establishing clearing prices for energy and exchanging money between prosumers. Blockchains provide a unique technology to address this distributed trust problem through the use of a distributed ledger, cryptocurrencies, and the execution of smart contracts. This paper introduces a smart contract that implements a transactive energy auction that operates without the need for a trusted entitys oversight. The auction mechanism implements a Vickrey second price auction, which guarantees bidders will submit honest bids. The contract is implemented on transactive agents on the WSU campus interacting with a 72kW PV array and the Ethereum blockchain. The contract is then used to execute auctions based on the energy from the the PV array and simulated building loads to demonstrate the auctions operations.

Operational Technology and Information Technology in Industrial Control Systems

A modern ICS is a complex system that depends on many different components and technologies to monitor and control physical processes; along with many of the managerial, administrative, and regulatory responsibilities associated with this task. The heart of ICSs are operations technology (OT) which supports availability and safety of critical processes. Modern-day ICSs have incorporated information technology (IT) based on the system functions desired in the overall system. For reference, definitions of each are as follows:

New Educational Modules Using a Cyber-Distribution System Testbed

At Washington State University, a modern cyber–physical system testbed has been implemented based on an industry-grade distribution management system (DMS) that is integrated with remote terminal units, smart meters, and a solar photovoltaic array. In addition, the real model from the Avista Utilities distribution system in Pullman, WA, is modeled in DMS. The proposed testbed environment allows students and instructors to utilize these facilities for innovations in learning and teaching. For power engineering education, this testbed helps students understand the interaction between a cyber system and a physical distribution system through industrial level visualization. The testbed provides a distribution system monitoring and control environment for students. Compared with a simulation-based approach, the testbed brings the students’ learning environment a step closer to the real world. The educational modules allow students to learn the concepts of a cyber–physical system and an electricity market through an integrated testbed. Furthermore, the testbed provides a platform in the study mode for students to practice working on a real distribution system model. This paper describes the new educational modules based on the testbed environment. Three modules are described together with the underlying educational principles and associated projects.

Exploring emerging cybersecurity risks from network-connected DER devices

Future growth in Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) present growing cybersecurity risks as these devices acquire increased networking and remote control capabilities. In this work the cyber-physical risks of consumer-grade DER are described. The work focuses on studying those DER devices that are network enabled and could be exploited by remote entities. Since attacks can range in both the access mechanism and the outcome objective a set of metrics are proposed to classify the cyber-physical attributes of the intrusion, these metrics can later be applied to create a inclusive model that can be used to measure the cybersecurity risks in terms of typical power-system quantities in real-world systems.

Experience With a Multidisciplinary, Team-Taught Smart Grid Cyber Infrastructure Course

Electric power systems are going through a major upgrade with the integration of advanced technologies to enable the smarter electric grid (SEG). The SEG will use information and communications technology to have enhanced controllability and will become more interactive. This ongoing change also necessitates educating professionals and future generation of engineers to manage evolving complexity of the electric grid. This paper presents experiences in the design and teaching of a unique multidisciplinary team-taught course on smart grid cyber infrastructure to provide a new generation of engineers with a solid foundation of smart grid concepts and their associated challenges. This paper identifies the course topics covered, learning objectives, and assessment activities for the class as well as lessons learned based on course evaluations obtained from multiple offerings. All of the course material is available in public domain and can be easily adopted at another educational institution.

Interfacing techniques in testbed for cyber-physical security analysis of the electric power grid

The electric power grid is an heterogeneous cyber-physical system with various physical, cyber/communication, computation, and control components. Individually, each of these components have established models and well developed tools for modeling, simulation and analysis. However, to analyze the impact of cyber events on the power grid, it is essential to bring all these components together in a coherent simulation environment to study the interdependencies of the cyber and physical system. Additionally, increasing instances of cyber attacks on the electric power grid demands tightly coupled cyber-physical co-simulation for security analysis. Integrated simulation of all the components requires interfacing existing domain-specific modeling and simulation tools for cyber-physical security analysis. This is a challenging task given diversity of domain specific physical and cyber systems simulator/ emulators and interface with hardware in the loop. This paper develops and analyzes number of interfacing techniques for integrated simulation of cyber and power systems for cyber-physical security analysis.

Feedback control systems with cyber fault-management mechanisms: Modeling and tradeoff analysis for simple examples

The impacts of cyber-fault resolution techniques on the dynamics of feedback control systems are explored, using simple case studies. Specifically, for a three-state DC motor model, simple control schemes implemented using embedded microcontrollers are modeled as being subject to freeze faults, which are resolved using watchdog-timer technologies. Simulations are undertaken to characterize the impacts of the faults and fault-resolution mechanisms. Also, a formal analysis of freeze faults and fault resolution is undertaken for a singlepole plant with proportional control. It is found that watchdog timers can reduce severe impacts of faults occurring during the control systems transient, but may increase susceptibility to other faults.