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1. Web-Based Platform for Evaluation of Resilient and Transactive Smart-Grids

   https://doi.org/10.1109/MSCPES.2019.8738796  

   Neema, Himanshu; Vardhan, Harsh; Barreto, Carlos; Koutsoukos, Xenofon (April 2019, 2019 7th Workshop on Modeling and Simulation of Cyber-Physical Energy Systems (MSCPES))

   Today’s smart-grids have seen a clear rise in new ways of energy generation, transmission, and storage. This has not only introduced a huge degree of variability, but also a continual shift away from traditionally centralized generation and storage to distributed energy resources (DERs). In addition, the distributed sensors, energy generators and storage devices, and networking have led to a huge increase in attack vectors that make the grid vulnerable to a variety of attacks. The interconnection between computational and physical components through a largely open, IP-based communication network enables an attacker to cause physical damage through remote cyber-attacks or attack on software-controlled grid operations via physical- or cyber-attacks. Transactive Energy (TE) is an emerging approach for managing increasing DERs in the smart-grids through economic and control techniques. Transactive Smart-Grids use the TE approach to improve grid reliability and efficiency. However, skepticism remains in their full-scale viability for ensuring grid reliability. In addition, different TE approaches, in specific situations, can lead to very different outcomes in grid operations. In this paper, we present a comprehensive web-based platform for evaluating resilience of smart-grids against a variety of cyber- and physical-attacks and evaluating impact of various TE approaches on grid performance. We also provide several case-studies demonstrating evaluation of TE approaches as well as grid resilience against cyber and physical attacks. 

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2. Smart City Concept Based on Cyber-Physical Social Systems with Hierarchical Ethical Agents Approach

   https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-78095-1_31  

   Mata, O. (July 2021, 23rd International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII 2021) - Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction. Access to Media, Learning and Assistive Environments)

   A smart city is considered a sustainable city that manages needed resources and makes autonomous decisions to improve the quality of life of its citizens. On the other hand, Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) have been implemented as isolated systems inside the city. For instance, the traffic lights, autonomous navigation for cars, and so on. Instead, consider a smart city with an integrated CPS for independent blocks that can be interconnected in a central unit. However, when a CPS makes decisions about the integration of ethical concepts based on human perception, social space must be added, and so a CPS must be transformed into a Cyber-Physical Social System (CPSS). Furthermore, a new type of social interaction between all the elements in a CPSS within a smart city presents human behavioral challenges such as virtual-morality. This paper first proposes an Artificial Moral Agent with machine learning algorithms to regulate the interaction within the CPSS, adding itself to all the subsystems’ communication. Additionally, a moral agent structure is proposed with a morality filter as its fundamental component. 

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3. Shelley: A Framework for Model Checking Call Ordering on Hierarchical Systems

   Carlos Mão de Ferro; Tiago Cogumbreiro; Francisco Martins (June 2023, International Conference on Coordination Languages and Models)

   This paper introduces Shelley, a novel model checking framework used to verify the order of function calls, developed in the context of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). Shelley infers the model directly from MicroPython code, so as to simplify the process of checking requirements expressed in a temporal logic. Applications for CPS need to reason about the end of execution to verify the reclamation/release of physical resources, so our temporal logic is stated on finite traces. Lastly, Shelley infers the behavior from code using an inter-procedural and compositional analysis, thus supporting the usual object-oriented programming techniques employed in MicroPython code. To evaluate our work, we present an experience report on an industrial application and evaluate the bounds of the validity checks (up to subsystems under 10 s on a desktop computer). 

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4. Net Load Redistribution Attacks on Nodal Voltage Magnitude Estimation in AC Distribution Networks

   https://doi.org/10.1109/ISGT-Europe47291.2020.9248915  

   Zhang, Hang; Liu, Bo; Wu, Hongyu (January 2020, IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference Europe)

   null (Ed.)

   A high penetration level of smart devices and communication networks increases the threat of cyber-attacks in the distribution system. In this paper, we model a hidden, coordinated, net load redistribution attack (NLRA) in an AC distribution system. Based on local information of an attack region, the attacker’s goal is to create violations in nodal voltage magnitude estimation. Acting as a system operator equipped with global AC state estimation and bad data detection, we validate the stealthiness of the hidden NLRA in multiple attack cases. Simulation results on a modified PG&E 69-node distribution system show the validity of the proposed NLRA. The influence of NLRA on the distribution system is assessed and the impact of attack regions, attack timing, and system observability is also revealed. 

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5. Integrated simulation testbed for security and resilience of CPS

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3167132.3167173  

   Neema, Himanshu; Potteiger, Bradley; Koutsoukos, Xenofon; Karsai, Gabor; Volgyesi, Peter; Sztipanovits, Janos (April 2018, Proceedings of the 33rd Annual ACM Symposium on Applied Computing)

   Owing1 to an immense growth of internet-connected and learning-enabled cyber-physical systems (CPSs) [1], several new types of attack vectors have emerged. Analyzing security and resilience of these complex CPSs is difficult as it requires evaluating many subsystems and factors in an integrated manner. Integrated simulation of physical systems and communication network can provide an underlying framework for creating a reusable and configurable testbed for such analyses. Using a model-based integration approach and the IEEE High-Level Architecture (HLA) [2] based distributed simulation software; we have created a testbed for integrated evaluation of large-scale CPS systems. Our tested supports web-based collaborative metamodeling and modeling of CPS system and experiments and a cloud computing environment for executing integrated networked co-simulations. A modular and extensible cyber-attack library enables validating the CPS under a variety of configurable cyber-attacks, such as DDoS and integrity attacks. Hardware-in-the-loop simulation is also supported along with several hardware attacks. Further, a scenario modeling language allows modeling of alternative paths (Courses of Actions) that enables validating CPS under different what-if scenarios as well as conducting cyber-gaming experiments. These capabilities make our testbed well suited for analyzing security and resilience of CPS. In addition, the web-based modeling and cloud-hosted execution infrastructure enables one to exercise the entire testbed using simply a web-browser, with integrated live experimental results display. 

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