scholarly journals Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6225
Author(s):  
Tim Krause ◽  
Raphael Ernst ◽  
Benedikt Klaer ◽  
Immanuel Hacker ◽  
Martin Henze
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Cyber Attacks ◽  
Power Grids ◽  
Communication Infrastructure ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Interconnected Power Grids ◽  
Attack Surface ◽  
Grid Operators ◽  
And Control

Increasing volatilities within power transmission and distribution force power grid operators to amplify their use of communication infrastructure to monitor and control their grid. The resulting increase in communication creates a larger attack surface for malicious actors. Indeed, cyber attacks on power grids have already succeeded in causing temporary, large-scale blackouts in the recent past. In this paper, we analyze the communication infrastructure of power grids to derive resulting fundamental challenges of power grids with respect to cybersecurity. Based on these challenges, we identify a broad set of resulting attack vectors and attack scenarios that threaten the security of power grids. To address these challenges, we propose to rely on a defense-in-depth strategy, which encompasses measures for (i) device and application security, (ii) network security, and (iii) physical security, as well as (iv) policies, procedures, and awareness. For each of these categories, we distill and discuss a comprehensive set of state-of-the art approaches, as well as identify further opportunities to strengthen cybersecurity in interconnected power grids.

scholarly journals Network isolators inhibit failure spreading in complex networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franz Kaiser ◽  
Vito Latora ◽  
Dirk Witthaut
Keyword(s):  
Complex Networks ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Power Grids ◽  
Cascading Failure ◽  
Critical Infrastructures ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Supply Networks ◽  
Water Transmission ◽  
Complete Collapse

AbstractIn our daily lives, we rely on the proper functioning of supply networks, from power grids to water transmission systems. A single failure in these critical infrastructures can lead to a complete collapse through a cascading failure mechanism. Counteracting strategies are thus heavily sought after. In this article, we introduce a general framework to analyse the spreading of failures in complex networks and demostrate that not only decreasing but also increasing the connectivity of the network can be an effective method to contain damages. We rigorously prove the existence of certain subgraphs, called network isolators, that can completely inhibit any failure spreading, and we show how to create such isolators in synthetic and real-world networks. The addition of selected links can thus prevent large scale outages as demonstrated for power transmission grids.

Modeling, Model Reduction, and Control of a Hands-Free Two-Wheeled Self-Balancing Scooter

2020 ◽  
pp. 185-202
Author(s):  
Qiong Li ◽  
Wangling Yu ◽  
H. Henry Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Model Reduction ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
System Response ◽  
Real Time Control ◽  
Time Control ◽  
Iteration Period ◽  
Synergistic Approach ◽  
Model Reduction Technique ◽  
And Control

Designing a two-wheeled self-balancing scooter involves in the synergistic approach of multidisciplinary engineering fields with mutual relationships of power transmission, mass transmission, and information transmission. The scooter consists of several subsystems and forms a large-scale system. The mathematical models are in the complex algebraic and differential equations in the form of high dimension. The complexity of its controller renders difficulties in its realization due to the limit of iteration period of real time control. Routh model reduction technique is employed to convert the original high-dimensional mathematical model into a simplified lower dimensional form. The modeling is derived using a unified variational method for both mechanical and electrical subsystems of the scooter, and for the electronic components equivalent circuit method is adopted. Simulations of the system response are based on the reduced model and its control design. A prototype is developed and realized with Matlab-Labview simulation and control environment.

scholarly journals Digital Forensic Analysis of Industrial Control Systems Using Sandboxing: A Case of WAMPAC Applications in the Power Systems

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 2598
Author(s):  
Asif Iqbal ◽  
Farhan Mahmood ◽  
Mathias Ekstedt
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Control Systems ◽  
Forensic Analysis ◽  
Cyber Attacks ◽  
Power Grids ◽  
Cyber Attack ◽  
Industrial Control ◽  
Industrial Control Systems ◽  
Daubert Standard ◽  
And Control

In today’s connected world, there is a tendency of connectivity even in the sectors which conventionally have been not so connected in the past, such as power systems substations. Substations have seen considerable digitalization of the grid hence, providing much more available insights than before. This has all been possible due to connectivity, digitalization and automation of the power grids. Interestingly, this also means that anybody can access such critical infrastructures from a remote location and gone are the days of physical barriers. The power of connectivity and control makes it a much more challenging task to protect critical industrial control systems. This capability comes at a price, in this case, increasing the risk of potential cyber threats to substations. With all such potential risks, it is important that they can be traced back and attributed to any potential threats to their roots. It is extremely important for a forensic investigation to get credible evidence of any cyber-attack as required by the Daubert standard. Hence, to be able to identify and capture digital artifacts as a result of different attacks, in this paper, the authors have implemented and improvised a forensic testbed by implementing a sandboxing technique in the context of real time-hardware-in-the-loop setup. Newer experiments have been added by emulating the cyber-attacks on WAMPAC applications, and collecting and analyzing captured artifacts. Further, using sandboxing for the first time in such a setup has proven helpful.

Optimization of Operational Large-Scale (Cyber) Attacks by a Combinational Approach

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 29-43
Author(s):  
Éric Filiol ◽  
Cécilia Gallais
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Vertex Cover ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cyber Attacks ◽  
Attack Scenario ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Transmission And Distribution

Recent attacks against critical infrastructures have shown that it is possible to take down an entire infrastructure by targeting only a few of its components. To prevent or minimize the effects of this kind of attacks, it is necessary to identify these critical components whose disruption, damage or destruction can lead to the paralysis of an infrastructure. This paper shows that the identification of critical components can be made thanks to a particular pattern of the graph theory: the vertex cover. To illustrate how the vertex cover can be useful for the identification of critical components, the electrical power transmission and distribution system of the United States is used as an example. It is shown how it is possible to build an attack scenario against an infrastructure with the results of a vertex cover algorithm.

Optimization of Operational Large-Scale (Cyber) Attacks by a Combinational Approach

2020 ◽  
pp. 654-670
Author(s):  
Éric Filiol ◽  
Cécilia Gallais
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Vertex Cover ◽  
Electrical Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cyber Attacks ◽  
Attack Scenario ◽  
Critical Components ◽  
Transmission And Distribution

Recent attacks against critical infrastructures have shown that it is possible to take down an entire infrastructure by targeting only a few of its components. To prevent or minimize the effects of this kind of attacks, it is necessary to identify these critical components whose disruption, damage or destruction can lead to the paralysis of an infrastructure. This paper shows that the identification of critical components can be made thanks to a particular pattern of the graph theory: the vertex cover. To illustrate how the vertex cover can be useful for the identification of critical components, the electrical power transmission and distribution system of the United States is used as an example. It is shown how it is possible to build an attack scenario against an infrastructure with the results of a vertex cover algorithm.

Opportunities and Challenges of Wind Power Generation in China

2014 ◽  
Vol 521 ◽  
pp. 850-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Han ◽  
Asifujiang Abudureyimu
Keyword(s):  
Wind Power ◽  
Transmission Lines ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Power Transmission ◽  
Power Grid ◽  
Power Grids ◽  
Power Transmission Lines ◽  
Growth Trend ◽  
Grid Connection

China's wind power market development is set to continue its growth trend of 2011. The newly added installed capacity will be in the range of 15-18GW and is expected to reach approximately 18GW. By 2015, the installed wind power capacity will reach 100GW. The percentage of decentralized wind power will further increase, but large-scale development and land-based wind power development will still be the focus, while the ratio of decentralized wind power has the potential to reach a maximum of 30%. As power grid corporations continue to improve their ultra-high voltage power transmission lines, intelligent power grids and other infrastructure, the power grids' ability to absorb wind power electricity on a largescale, and the scale of cross-region wind power transmission will increase, with the wind power grid-connection rate also significantly increase. The wind power manufacturing industry has entered a low-profit era; competition will intensify, the market will become more mature, and wind power manufacturers will face greater market challenges. However, the wind power industry's maturity and lowering costs have enhanced wind power's competitiveness compared to traditional energy sources. Wind power has become a highstrength emerging power supply technology and its contribution to China's electricity mix will gradually increase.

Collaboration, Power, Participation and Control on a Large Scale Research Team: Multiple Perspectives from the Oxford House Research Project

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bradley Olson ◽  
Leonard Jason ◽  
Joseph R. Ferrari ◽  
Leon Venable ◽  
Bertel F. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Research Team ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Oxford House ◽  
And Control
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