OpenConduit: A Tool for Recreating Power System Communication Networks Automatically

Abstract

The daily operations of critical infrastructures have long relied upon computer networks. Nevertheless, these networks attract adversarial actions. To improve the security and resilience of electric power systems and other cyber-physical critical infrastructure, there is a crucial need to study their communication networks alongside their physical systems. However, there is a disconnect between network models used by research groups and the actual network topologies used in industry. These modeling differences lead to discrepancies between study results and what is attainable in the field. To address this, OpenConduit is introduced in this paper. OpenConduit is designed to achieve automated and realistic replication of electric power system networks in an emulation environment. OpenConduit interprets industrial networks' configuration data (real or synthetic) and rebuilds the network in the Common Open Research Emulator (CORE). OpenConduit's architecture, design, and integration into a large-scale cyber-physical testbed are the focus of the paper. Experiments with a sample synthetic electric utility network show its ability to efficiently enable detailed emulation studies for real utility networks in a safe environment. Finally, experiments on a range of cases demonstrate the OpenConduit tool to be effective for scalability in the emulation of larger networks, as well as achieving conformity with configuration files and system settings while maintaining functionality. Additionally, the emulation time which averages 59 seconds can be integrated with power systems operations, while upholding information security of system data.