Concept and Research Framework for Coordinated Situation Awareness and Active Defense of Cyber-physical Power Systems Against Cyber-attacks

Abstract

Due to the tight coupling between the cyber and physical sides of a cyber-physical power system (CPPS), the safe and reliable operation of CPPSs is being increasingly impacted by cyber security. This situation poses a challenge to traditional security defense systems, which considers the threat from only one side, i.e., cyber or physical. To cope with cyber-attacks, this paper reaches beyond the traditional one-side security defense systems and proposes the concept of cyber-physical coordinated situation awareness and active defense to improve the ability of CPPSs. An example of a regional frequency control system is used to show the validness and potential of this concept. Then, the research framework is presented for studying and implementing this concept. Finally, key technologies for cyber-physical coordinated situation awareness and active defense against cyber-attacks are introduced.

Keywords

• Cyber-physical power system (CPPS)
• cyber security
• cyber-attack
• situation awareness
• active defense