Securing CAN-Based Cyber-Physical Systems

With the exponential growth of cyber-physical systems (CPSs), new security challenges have emerged. Various vulnerabilities, threats, attacks, and controls have been introduced for the new generation of CPS. However, there lacks a systematic review of the CPS security literature. In particular, the heterogeneity of CPS components and the diversity of CPS systems have made it difficult to study the problem with one generalized model. As the first component of this dissertation, existing research on CPS security is studied and systematized under a unified framework. Smart cars, as a CPS application, were further explored under the proposed framework and new attacks are identified and addressed. The Control Area Network (CAN bus) is a prevalent serial communication protocol adopted in industrial CPS, especially in small and large vehicles, ships, planes, and even in drones, radar systems, and submarines. Unfortunately, the CAN bus was designed without any security considerations. We then propose and demonstrate a stealthy targeted Denial of Service (DoS) attack against CAN. Experimentation shows that the attack is effective and superior to attacks of the same category due to its stealthiness and ability to avoid detection from current countermeasures. Two controls are proposed to defend against various spoofing and DoS attacks on CAN. The first one aims to minimize the attack using a mechanism called ID-Hopping so that CAN arbitration IDs are randomized so an attacker would not be able to target them. ID-Hopping raises the bar for attackers by randomizing the expected patterns in a CAN network. Such randomization hinders an attacker’s ability to launch targeted DoS attacks. Based on the evaluation on the testbed, the randomization mechanism, ID-Hopping, holds a promising solution for targeted DoS, and reverse engineering CAN IDs, and which CAN networks are most vulnerable. The second countermeasure is a novel CAN firewall that aims to prevent an attacker from launching a plethora of nontraditional attacks on CAN that existing solutions do not adequately address. The firewall is placed between a potential attacker’s node and the rest of the CAN bus. Traffic is controlled bi-directionally between the main bus and the attacker’s side so that only benign traffic can pass to the main bus. This ensures that an attacker cannot arbitrarily inject malicious traffic into the main bus. Demonstration and evaluation of the attack and firewall were conducted by a bit-level analysis, i.e., “Bit banging”, of CAN’s traffic. Results show that the firewall successfully prevents the stealthy targeted DoS attack, as well as, other recent attacks. To evaluate the proposed attack and firewall, a testbed was built that consisted of BeagleBone Black and STM32 Nucleo- 144 microcontrollers to simulate real CAN traffic. Finally, a design of an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) was proposed to complement the firewall. It utilized the proposed firewall to add situational awareness capabilities to the bus’s security posture and detect and react to attacks that might bypass the firewall based on certain rules

Definition and Verification of Security Configurations of Cyber-Physical Systems

The proliferation of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) is rais ing serious security challenges. These are complex systems, integrating physical elements into automated networked systems, often containing a variety of devices, such as sensors and actuators, and requiring complex management and data storage. This makes the construction of secure CPSs a challenge, requiring not only an adequate specification of secu rity requirements and needs related to the business domain but also an adaptation and concretion of these requirements to define a security configuration of the CPS where all its components are related. Derived from the complexity of the CPS, their configurations can be incorrect according to the requirements, and must be verified. In this paper, we propose a grammar for specifying business domain security requirements based on the CPS components. This will allow the definition of security requirements that, through a defined security feature model, will result in a configuration of services and security properties of the CPS, whose correctness can be verified. For this last stage, we have created a cata logue of feature models supported by a tool that allows the automatic verification of security configurations. To illustrate the results, the pro posal has been applied to automated verification of requirements in a hydroponic system scenario.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología RTI2018-094283-B-C33 (ECLIPSE)Junta de Andalucía METAMORFOSIS (US-1381375)Junta de Castilla.La Mancha SBPLY-17-180501-000202 (GENESIS

Experience of Basic Life Support among King Khalid University Health Profession Students, Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Background: Satisfactory experience about basic life support (BLS) is crucial to ensure rapid and efficient delivery of essential life-saving care during emergency situations. Objectives: To assess BLS experience among health profession students at King Khalid University (KKU), Southwestern Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a representative sample of male and female health profession students, during the academic year 2019–2020. A self-reported questionnaire was utilized to collect data about BLS experiences, which included receiving BLS training, reasons for not having BLS training, suggestions to improve BLS training, encountering a situation that required the use of BLS, practicing BLS when needed and reasons for not practicing BLS when needed. Results: Out of 1261 health profession students, 590 received formal BLS training with a prevalence rate of 46.8% (95% CI: 44.0–49.6), and 46.0% of them trained at the university. Important obstacles for non-attendance included busy academic schedule (54.7%) and high cost of the training course (18%). Overall, 84.1% supported integration of BLS training into their college curricula. Almost 26% encountered a situation that required BLS; however, only 32.4% responded. Through multivariate regression, the significant determinant of response was having formal BLS training (aOR = 4.24, 95% CI: 2.38–7.54). The frequent reasons for non-response were lack of adequate BLS knowledge (35.0%), nervousness (22.8%), and that the victim was of opposite sex (9.0%). Conclusion: It is recommended that more emphasis should be given to BLS training among undergraduates of health profession colleges in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. It is recommended that BLS training be integrated into health profession college curricula. Including BLS training as a graduation requirement for health profession students might motivate students to attain BLS training courses

Hepatitis C Virus Infection at Primary Healthcare Level in Abha City, Southwestern Saudi Arabia: Is Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus an Associated Factor?

Background: There is an increasing concern about the relation between hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present study aims to determine the prevalence of HCV infection among T2DM patients and non-diabetic patients attending primary healthcare centers (PHCCs) in Abha city, southwestern Saudi Arabia, and to explore the possible association between T2DM and HCV infection. Methods: A cross-sectional study targeting a random sample of T2DM and non-diabetic patients attending PHCCs in Abha City was conducted. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and screened for HCV infection using fourth-generation ELISA kits. All positive cases were confirmed by qualitative RT-PCR immune assay. Results: The study revealed an overall seroprevalence of HCV infection of 5% (95% CI: 2.9⁻7.9%). Among T2DM and non-diabetics, a seroprevalence of 8.0% and 2.0% was found, respectively. Using multivariable regression analysis, the only significant associated factor for HCV infection was T2DM (aOR = 4.185, 95% CI: 1.074⁻16.305). Conclusions: There is strong positive association between T2DM and HCV infection. Yet, the direction of relationship is difficult to establish. Patients with T2DM have higher prevalence of HCV infection than non-diabetic group. It is highly recommended for primary health care providers to screen for HCV infection among T2DM patients and to increase the level of HCV awareness among them

Cyber resilience in industrial networks: A state of the art, challenges, and future directions

Industrial networks, and more particularly, industrial control systems (ICSs) and industrial Internet of things (IIoT), are no longer isolated environments. The rapid increase of functional needs in Industry 4.0 has indeed exposed them to numerous cyberattacks. Cyberattacks against ICSs or IIoT can cause considerable societal and economic disruption. Cyber resilient and cybersecurity practices are essential to integrate secure networks, control systems, physical processes, and their interconnections toward handling cyberattacks. In this paper, we survey relevant cyber resilience strategies for industrial networks, focusing on ICSs and IIoT. First, we provide a coverage of resilient networks and the fundamental components of ICSs and IIoT. Second, state of the art articles that propose cyber resilience assessment frameworks are reviewed. They are classified according to the resilience aspects they address and the defense mechanism, anomaly detection, failure management and survivability strategy, as well as resilience measure they present. As a result, the main technical and human related challenges, practical limitations, and current cyber resilience needs of industrial networks are identified. Finally, we establish the principal requirements that cyber resilience schemes for industrial networks should meet shortly and suggest promising directions for future research

Cyber-Physical Systems Security Based on A Cross-Linked and Correlated Vulnerability Database

Recent advances in data analytics prompt dynamic datadriven vulnerability assessments whereby data contained from vulnerabilityalert repositories as well as from Cyber-physical System (CPS) layer networks and standardised enumerations. Yet, current vulnerability assessment processes are mostly conducted manually. However, the huge volume of scanned data requires substantial information processing and analytical reasoning, which could not be satisfied considering the imprecision of manual vulnerability analysis. In this paper, we propose to employ a cross-linked and correlated database to collect, extract, filter and visualise vulnerability data across multiple existing repositories, whereby CPS vulnerability information is inferred. Based on our locally-updated database, we provide an in-depth case study on gathered CPS vulnerability data, to explore the trends of CPS vulnerability. In doing so, we aim to support a higher level of automation in vulnerability awareness and back risk-analysis exercises in critical infrastructures (CIs) protection.Also part of the Security and Cryptology book sub series (LNSC, volume 11777)Funded by EU Internal Security FundsEU ISF Project A431.678/2016 ELVIR

A Semantic Framework With Humans in the Loop for Vulnerability-Assessment in Cyber-Physical Production Systems

Criticalmanufacturingprocessesinsmartnetworkedsystems such as Cyber-Physical Production Systems (CPPSs) typically require guaranteed quality-of-service performances, which is supported by cyber- security management. Currently, most existing vulnerability-assessment techniques mostly rely on only the security department due to limited communication between di↵erent working groups. This poses a limitation to the security management of CPPSs, as malicious operations may use new exploits that occur between successive analysis milestones or across departmental managerial boundaries. Thus, it is important to study and analyse CPPS networks’ security, in terms of vulnerability analysis that accounts for humans in the production process loop, to prevent potential threats to infiltrate through cross-layer gaps and to reduce the magnitude of their impact. We propose a semantic framework that supports the col- laboration between di↵erent actors in the production process, to improve situation awareness for cyberthreats prevention. Stakeholders with dif- ferent expertise are contributing to vulnerability assessment, which can be further combined with attack-scenario analysis to provide more prac- tical analysis. In doing so, we show through a case study evaluation how our proposed framework leverages crucial relationships between vulner- abilities, threats and attacks, in order to narrow further the risk-window induced by discoverable vulnerabilities.Also part of the Information Systems and Applications, incl. Internet/Web, and HCI book sub series (LNISA, volume 12026)EU ISF Project A431.678/2016 ELVIRAELVIR