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 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

Axions, Strings, and Dark-Matter Cosmology

The existence of dark matter is one of the unsolved fundamental problems of physics and cannot be explained by established theories such as general relativity or the standard model of particle physics. However, an extension of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), a part of the Standard Model, can explain dark matter. It is known that QCD is invariant under charge and parity symmetry (CP symmetry), the violation of symmetry is quantified by the parameter theta. The invariance of the QCD under CP transformations is not explicitly required, but only implicitly fulfilled by a very small theta parameter. This seemingly arbitrary conservation of CP symmetry is known as the strong CP problem. A promising solution to this problem was presented by Peccei and Quinn, who consider the $\theta$ parameter not as a constant, but as a dynamical field. This requires a new particle that is extremely light and hardly interacts with the matter we know, as it is expected for dark matter. Therefore, this new particle, called axion, potentially solves two problems; the strong CP problem and the origin of dark matter. To date, however, it was not possible to detect this hypothetical particle experimentally, which is, if the particle exist, because of its very weak interaction and therefore very complex experimental set-ups are required for a successful measurement. In addition, there are only a few precise theoretical predictions for the mass of the axion. In this thesis we present a new method to determine the axion mass. This method is able to correctly describe the responsible production mechanisms for the first time and thus predict a precise value of the axion mass by lattice simulations. The challenge lies in the correct description of the production mechanisms, more precisely in the simulation of the correct string tension. Moreover we also present new methods for the microscopic investigation of the string dynamics themselves, with which theoretical equations of motion can be simulated and compared for the first time. This also provides information about the reliability of string simulations in general

Axions, Strings, and Dark-Matter Cosmology

The existence of dark matter is one of the unsolved fundamental problems of physics and cannot be explained by established theories such as general relativity or the standard model of particle physics. However, an extension of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), a part of the Standard Model, can explain dark matter. It is known that QCD is invariant under charge and parity symmetry (CP symmetry), the violation of symmetry is quantified by the parameter theta. The invariance of the QCD under CP transformations is not explicitly required, but only implicitly fulfilled by a very small theta parameter. This seemingly arbitrary conservation of CP symmetry is known as the strong CP problem. A promising solution to this problem was presented by Peccei and Quinn, who consider the $\theta$ parameter not as a constant, but as a dynamical field. This requires a new particle that is extremely light and hardly interacts with the matter we know, as it is expected for dark matter. Therefore, this new particle, called axion, potentially solves two problems; the strong CP problem and the origin of dark matter. To date, however, it was not possible to detect this hypothetical particle experimentally, which is, if the particle exist, because of its very weak interaction and therefore very complex experimental set-ups are required for a successful measurement. In addition, there are only a few precise theoretical predictions for the mass of the axion. In this thesis we present a new method to determine the axion mass. This method is able to correctly describe the responsible production mechanisms for the first time and thus predict a precise value of the axion mass by lattice simulations. The challenge lies in the correct description of the production mechanisms, more precisely in the simulation of the correct string tension. Moreover we also present new methods for the microscopic investigation of the string dynamics themselves, with which theoretical equations of motion can be simulated and compared for the first time. This also provides information about the reliability of string simulations in general

Creating Meta Attack Language Instances using ArchiMate : Applied to Electric Power and Energy System Cases

Cyber-attacks on power assets can have disastrous consequences for individuals, regions, and whole nations. In order to respond to these threats, the assessment of power grids' and plants' cyber security can foster a higher degree of safety for the whole infrastructure dependent on power. Hitherto, we propose the use of attack simulations based on system architecture models. To reduce the effort of creating new attack graphs for each system of a given type, domain-specific attack languages may be employed. They codify common attack logics of the considered domain. Previously, MAL (the Meta Attack Language) was proposed, which serves as a framework to develop domain specific attack languages. We extend the tool set of MAL by developing an approach to model security domains in ArchiMate notation. Next, those models are used to create a MAL instance, which reflects the concepts modeled in ArchiMate. These instances serve as input to simulate attacks on certain systems. To show the applicability of our approach, we conduct two case studies in the power domain. On the one hand, we model a thermal power plant and possible attacks on it. On the other hand, we use the attack on the Ukrainian power grid for our case study.QC 20200120</p

Methods for Actors in the Electric Power System to Prevent, Detect and React to ICT Attacks and Failures

6 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Proceedings of the 2020 6th IEEE International Energy Conference (ENERGYCon)The fundamental changes in power supply and increasing decentralization require more active grid operation and an increased integration of ICT at all power system actors. This trend raises complexity and increasingly leads to interactions between primary grid operation and ICT as well as different power system actors. For example, virtual power plants control various assets in the distribution grid via ICT to jointly market existing flexibilities. Failures of ICT or targeted attacks can thus have serious effects on security of supply and system stability. This paper presents a holistic approach to providing methods specifically for actors in the power system for prevention, detection, and reaction to ICT attacks and failures. The focus of our measures are solutions for ICT monitoring, systems for the detection of ICT attacks and intrusions in the process network, and the provision of actionable guidelines as well as a practice environment for the response to potential ICT security incidents