Cybersecurity Challenges in Distributed Control

2020

Until 1960s, control systems consisted mainly of mechanical or analog electronic devices exchanging information among system components, i.e., sensors, controllers, and actuators, via wired communication. However, recent advancement in computer and communication industries have led to the growing use of Internet, embedded systems, wireless and digital communication technologies in many industrial control systems and transformed them into Networked Control Systems (NCSs). A defining feature of an NCS is that it consists of a number of devices implemented distributively so that system information is exchanged through a shared communication network. In light of many distinct advantages of NCSs including flexible architectures and less installation and maintenance costs, the development and application of NCSs have been recently boosted in a wide range of practical areas and critical infrastructures including transportation systems, electrical power systems and smart grids, remote surge...

International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection

Industrial and Automation Control systems traditionally achieved security thanks to the use of proprietary protocols and isolation from the telecommunication networks. Nowadays, the advent of the Industrial Internet of Things poses new security challenges. In this paper, we first highlight the main security challenges that advocate for new risk assessment and security strategies. To this end we propose a security framework and advanced tools to properly manage vulnerabilities, and to timely react to the threats. The proposed architecture fills the gap between computer science and control theoretic approaches. The physical layers connected to Industrial Control Systems are prone to disrupt when facing cyber-attacks. Considering the modules of the proposed architecture, we focus on the development of a practical framework to compare information about physical faults and cyber-attacks. This strat

Computers & Security, 2020

Industrial Control System (ICS) is a general term that includes supervisory control & data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed control systems (DCS), and other control system configurations such as pro- grammable logic controllers (PLC). ICSs are often found in the industrial sectors and critical infrastruc- tures, such as nuclear and thermal plants, water treatment facilities, power generation, heavy industries, and distribution systems. Though ICSs were kept isolated from the Internet for so long, significant achiev- able business benefits are driving a convergence between ICSs and the Internet as well as information technology (IT) environments, such as cloud computing. As a result, ICSs have been exposed to the at- tack vectors used in the majority of cyber-attacks. However, ICS devices are inherently much less secure against such advanced attack scenarios. A compromise to ICS can lead to enormous physical damage and danger to human lives. In this work, we have a close look at the shift of the ICS from stand-alone systems to cloud-based environments. Then we discuss the major works, from industry and academia towards the development of the secure ICSs, especially applicability of the machine learning techniques for the ICS cyber-security. The work may help to address the challenges of securing industrial processes, particularly while migrating them to the cloud environments.

arXiv (Cornell University), 2020

Increasingly Industrial Control Systems (ICS) systems are being connected to the Internet to minimise the operational costs and provide additional flexibility. These control systems such as the ones used in power grids, manufacturing and utilities operate continually and have long lifespans measured in decades rather than years as in the case of IT systems. Such industrial control systems require uninterrupted and safe operation. However, they can be vulnerable to a variety of attacks, as successful attacks on critical control infrastructures could have devastating consequences to the safety of human lives as well as a nations security and prosperity. Furthermore, there can be a range of attacks that can target ICS and it is not easy to secure these systems against all known attacks let alone unknown ones. In this paper, we propose a software enabled security architecture using Software Defined Networking (SDN) and Network Function Virtualisation (NFV) that can enhance the capability to secure industrial control systems. We have designed such an SDN/NFV enabled security architecture and developed a Control System Security Application (CSSA) in SDN Controller for enhancing security in ICS against certain specific attacks namely denial of service attacks, from unpatched vulnerable control system components and securing the communication flows from the legacy devices that do not support any security functionality. In this paper, we discuss the prototype implementation of the proposed architecture and the results obtained from our analysis.

Iet Control Theory and Applications, 2022

Nowadays, interconnected cyber-physical systems (CPSs) are widely used with increasing deployments of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications. Other than operating properly under system uncertainties, CPSs should be secured under unwanted adversaries. To mark such challenges, this paper proposes the solution of secure decentralized robust control for uncertain CPSs under replayed time-delay and false-data injection attacks altogether. Potentially, considered attacks can force the whole system to instability and crash. Three challenges are addressed, and solutions are presented: (1) model non-linearity and uncertainties, (2) existing simultaneous time-delay and potential false-data injection attacks with skew probability density functions, and (3) requirement to use real-time attack detection. Thus, a novel, robust control method to deal with thwart attacks on a closed-loop control system is proposed to provide the system's trustworthiness. Additionally, novel attack detection methodologies are presented to detect these advanced attacks rapidly based on statistical methods such as Spearman's correlation coefficient, Neyman-Pearson (NP) error classification, and trend analysis. Ultimately, the proposed novel attack detection and robust control protocol are verified and evaluated in real-time. 1 This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Current Industry processing is using the digital data which are coming from different geographical location and different environmental resources with the help of internet. Here no one can be trusted and it is possible more than a few kind threads come from different directions. Multidimensional approach to the network security is the only way able to crash these challenges. Diffusion methods or canned attacks which are recommended by the conventional network security system are outdated and impractical. It is essential to create a new resilient architecture that can survive the different types of attack and then need the speedy recovery if a breach does occur. Resilient Industrial networked control system is very important for every organization which is using a number of decisive infrastructures. Proposed method provide a framework of the control system application to build effective security mechanism that integrate all aspects of cyber security, incorporating desktop and business computing systems with industrial automation and control systems through a novel attack resilient algorithm. This paper to recommend the path to reduce the complexity of the control system and provide the safety mechanism for reliable system which is decreased the threads and increase the data integrity with privacy in all kind of organizational processing.

Systems

Cyber-Physical System (CPS) is a symbol of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) by integrating physical and computational processes which can associate with humans in various ways. In short, the relationship between Cyber networks and the physical component is known as CPS, which is assisting to incorporate the world and influencing our ordinary life significantly. In terms of practical utilization of CPS interacting abundant difficulties. Currently, CPS is involved in modern society very vastly with many uptrend perspectives. All the new technologies by using CPS are accelerating our journey of innovation. In this paper, we have explained the research areas of 14 important domains of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) including aircraft transportation systems, battlefield surveillance, chemical production, energy, agriculture (food supply), healthcare, education, industrial automation, manufacturing, mobile devices, robotics, transportation, and vehicular. We also demonstrated the chal...

IEEE Systems, man, and cybernetics magazine , 2021

Demand for security, efficiency, and environmental regulations have led to rapid deployment of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), which are now an integral part of modern industries. Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which provide distributed intelligent devices for monitoring physical or environmental conditions, are a hallmark of CPSs. CPSs often consist of distributed devices such as sensors and actuators to connect with and influence the physical layer system. Commonly, CPSs are monitored by Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems. All the benefits gained by integrating the cyber and physical worlds assist in operating CPSs more effectively and efficiently. However, the gains obtained through deployment of CPS come with the price that CPSs are vulnerable to cyberattacks. This article starts with the definitions and introduction to fundamental concepts in CPSs. Following that, various types of cyber-attacks in a CPS are illustrated, and a detailed literature review of control-oriented attack detectors is presented. Afterward, prominent examples of CPSs and their attack detectors are demonstrated. The article concludes with a discussion of certain future research directions in this critical and challenging area.

IFAC-PapersOnLine, 2017

Cyber-physical systems (CPSs) integrate computing and communication capabilities to monitor and control physical processes. In order to do so, communication networks are commonly used to connect sensors, actuators, and controllers to monitor and control physical systems. The use of communication networks increases the vulnerability of the CPS to cyber attacks that can drive the system to unsafe states. One of the most powerful cyber attacks is the so-called man-in-the-middle attack, where the intruder can observe, hide, create or replace information in the attacked network channel. We propose in this paper a defense strategy that detects intrusions and prevent damages caused by man-in-the-middle attacks in the sensor and/or control communication channels in supervisory control systems. We also introduce the definition of NA-Safe controllability, and we propose an algorithm to verify this property.

European Conference on Cyber Warfare and Security

Industrial Control Systems (ICS) comprise software, hardware, network systems, and people that manage and operate industrial processes. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) and Distributed Control Systems (DCS) are two of the most prevalent ICS. An ICS facilitates the effective and efficient management and operation of industrial sectors, including critical infrastructure sectors like utilities, manufacturing, and water treatment facilities. An ICS collects and integrates data from various field controllers deployed in industrial contexts, enabling operators to make data-driven decisions in managing industrial operations. Historically, ICS were isolated from the internet, functioning as part of air-gapped networks. However, the efficiency improvements brought about by the emergence of Information Technology necessitated a shift towards a more connected industrial environment. The convergence of Information and Operational Technology (IT/OT) has made ICS vulnerabl...