Analysing a multi-stage cyber threat and its impact on the power system

Abstract

Electric power systems are composed of physical and cyber sub-systems. The sub-systems depend on each other. If the cyber sub-system is compromised by a cyber threat, what is the impact on the physical system? This paper presents a case study that shows the steps of a multi-stage cyber threat involving a database injection attack, and what happens to the power system if this threat is not detected in its early stages. The threat first affects one utility but it can spread to the balancing authority, which is responsible for keeping the voltage and frequency stable in the power grid. During the cyber threat, the authors also show defence tools, such as a cyber-physical data fusion tool that displays and analyses power and cyber telemetry.