Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities
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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/18/6225 |
| _version_ | 1797517228800737280 |
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| author | Tim Krause Raphael Ernst Benedikt Klaer Immanuel Hacker Martin Henze |
| author_facet | Tim Krause Raphael Ernst Benedikt Klaer Immanuel Hacker Martin Henze |
| author_sort | Tim Krause |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:13:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c6d4c6c289814e1d9f414b2159168f8b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-8220 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:13:48Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sensors |
| spelling | doaj.art-c6d4c6c289814e1d9f414b2159168f8b2023-11-22T15:13:36ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202021-09-012118622510.3390/s21186225Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and OpportunitiesTim Krause0Raphael Ernst1Benedikt Klaer2Immanuel Hacker3Martin Henze4Cyber Analysis & Defense, Fraunhofer FKIE, 53343 Wachtberg, GermanyCyber Analysis & Defense, Fraunhofer FKIE, 53343 Wachtberg, GermanyDigital Energy, Fraunhofer FIT, 52056 Aachen, GermanyDigital Energy, Fraunhofer FIT, 52056 Aachen, GermanyCyber Analysis & Defense, Fraunhofer FKIE, 53343 Wachtberg, GermanyIncreasing 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/18/6225critical infrastructurecyber-physical securitycybersecuritypower gridpower system communication |
| spellingShingle | Tim Krause Raphael Ernst Benedikt Klaer Immanuel Hacker Martin Henze Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities Sensors critical infrastructure cyber-physical security cybersecurity power grid power system communication |
| title | Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities |
| title_full | Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities |
| title_fullStr | Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities |
| title_short | Cybersecurity in Power Grids: Challenges and Opportunities |
| title_sort | cybersecurity in power grids challenges and opportunities |
| topic | critical infrastructure cyber-physical security cybersecurity power grid power system communication |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/18/6225 |
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