A Cyber-Physical Security Analysis of Synchronous-Islanded Microgrid Operation

Cyber-security research in the field of smart grids is often performed with a focus on either the power and control domain or the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) domain. The characteristics of the power equipment or ICT domain are commonly not collectively considered. This work provides an analysis of the physical effects of cyber-attacks on microgrids – a smart grid construct that allows continued power supply when disconnected from a main grid. Different types of microgrid operations are explained (connected, islanded and synchronous-islanding) and potential cyber-attacks and their physical effects are analyzed. A testbed that is based on physical power and ICT equipment is presented to validate the results in both the physical and ICT domain.

Content

Author and article information

Contributors

Ivo Friedberg

David Laverty

Kieran McLaughlin

Paul Smith

Conference

Publication date: September 2015

Publication date (Print): September 2015

Pages: 52-62

Affiliations

[0001]Queen’s University Belfast

AIT Austrian Institute of Technology

[0002]Queen’s University Belfast

[0003]AIT Austrian Institute of Technology

Article

DOI: 10.14236/ewic/ICS2015.6

SO-VID: 35adeccb-7fa9-4630-9352-b83b1861122f

License:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Conference name: 3rd International Symposium for ICS & SCADA Cyber Security Research 2015 (ICS-CSR 2015)

Conference acronym: ICS-CSR

Conference number: 3

Conference location: Germany

Conference date: 17 - 18 September 2015

Conference sponsor: Electronic Workshops in Computing (eWiC)

Conference theme: Industrial Control System & SCADA Cyber Security Research (ICS-CSR)

History

Product

1477-9358 BCS Learning & Development

Self URI (article page): https://www.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.14236/ewic/ICS2015.6

Self URI (journal page): https://ewic.bcs.org/

References

R Best 2008 Universal application of synchronous islanded operation IET-CIRED Seminar SmartGrids for Distribution
R CaldonF RossettoR Turri 2004 Temporary islanded operation of dispersed generation on distribution networks 39th International Universities Power Engineering Conference 3 987 991
T ConsidineW CoxE. G Cazalet 2012 Understanding microgrids as the essential architecture of smart energy Grid Inerop Forum, Texas
G DánH Sandberg 2010 Stealth attacks and protection schemes for state estimators in power systems First IEEE International Conference on Smart Grid Communications (SmartGridComm) 214 219
G DondossolaJ SzantoM MaseraI. N Fovino 2008 Effects of intentional threats to power substation control systems Int. J. Critical Infrastruct 4 1 129 143
H Farhangi 2010 The path of the smart grid IEEE Power and Energy Mag 8 1 18 28
A Hahn 2013 Cyber-physical security testbeds: Architecture, application, and evaluation for smart grid IEEE Trans. Smart Grid 4 2 847 855
H HuN Wei 2009 A study of GPS jamming and anti-jamming 2nd International Conference on Power Electronics and Intelligent Transportation System (PEITS) 1 388 391
IEEE Power & Energy Society 2011 IEEE Std C37.118.1-2011 (Revision of IEEE Std C37.118-2005) IEEE standard for synchrophasors for power systems
D Kundur 2011 Towards modelling the impact of cyber attacks on a smart grid Int. J. Security and Netw 6 1 2 13
D. M Laverty 2008 Internet based phasor measurement system for phase control of synchronous islands IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting - Conversion and Delivery of Electrical Energy in the 21st Century 1 6
R LeeM AssanteT Connway 2014 ICS CP/PE (cyber-to-physical or process effects) case study paper – German steel mill cyber attack SANS ICS, Tech. Rep
N. G Levenson 2011 Engineering a safer world Systems Thinking Applied to Safety Cambridge, MA, USA The MIT Press
H SandbergA TeixeiraK. H Johansson 2010 On security indices for state estimators in power networks Preprints of the First Workshop on Secure Control Systems CPSWEEK Stockholm, Sweden
W WangZ Lu 2013 Cyber security in the smart grid: Survey and challenges Comput. Netw 57 5 1344 1371
Z ZhangS GongA. D DimitrovskiH Li 2013 Time synchronization attack in smart grid: Impact and analysis IEEE Trans. Smart Grid 4 1 87 98

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] R Best 2008 Universal application of synchronous islanded operation IET-CIRED Seminar SmartGrids for Distribution

[2] R CaldonF RossettoR Turri 2004 Temporary islanded operation of dispersed generation on distribution networks 39th International Universities Power Engineering Conference 3 987 991

[3] T ConsidineW CoxE. G Cazalet 2012 Understanding microgrids as the essential architecture of smart energy Grid Inerop Forum, Texas

[4] G DánH Sandberg 2010 Stealth attacks and protection schemes for state estimators in power systems First IEEE International Conference on Smart Grid Communications (SmartGridComm) 214 219

[5] G DondossolaJ SzantoM MaseraI. N Fovino 2008 Effects of intentional threats to power substation control systems Int. J. Critical Infrastruct 4 1 129 143

[6] H Farhangi 2010 The path of the smart grid IEEE Power and Energy Mag 8 1 18 28

[7] A Hahn 2013 Cyber-physical security testbeds: Architecture, application, and evaluation for smart grid IEEE Trans. Smart Grid 4 2 847 855

[8] H HuN Wei 2009 A study of GPS jamming and anti-jamming 2nd International Conference on Power Electronics and Intelligent Transportation System (PEITS) 1 388 391

[9] IEEE Power & Energy Society 2011 IEEE Std C37.118.1-2011 (Revision of IEEE Std C37.118-2005) IEEE standard for synchrophasors for power systems

[10] D Kundur 2011 Towards modelling the impact of cyber attacks on a smart grid Int. J. Security and Netw 6 1 2 13

[11] D. M Laverty 2008 Internet based phasor measurement system for phase control of synchronous islands IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting - Conversion and Delivery of Electrical Energy in the 21st Century 1 6

[12] R LeeM AssanteT Connway 2014 ICS CP/PE (cyber-to-physical or process effects) case study paper – German steel mill cyber attack SANS ICS, Tech. Rep

[13] N. G Levenson 2011 Engineering a safer world Systems Thinking Applied to Safety Cambridge, MA, USA The MIT Press

[14] H SandbergA TeixeiraK. H Johansson 2010 On security indices for state estimators in power networks Preprints of the First Workshop on Secure Control Systems CPSWEEK Stockholm, Sweden

[15] W WangZ Lu 2013 Cyber security in the smart grid: Survey and challenges Comput. Netw 57 5 1344 1371

[16] Z ZhangS GongA. D DimitrovskiH Li 2013 Time synchronization attack in smart grid: Impact and analysis IEEE Trans. Smart Grid 4 1 87 98

Celebrating 65 years of The Computer Journal - free-to-read perspectives - bcs.org/tcj65