Grant: Alliance Grants

The functioning of our society critically depends on smart grids, which are becoming increasingly attractive cyberattack targets due to the adoption of fast-evolving IoT technologies. The recent RedEcho malware led to a blackout in October 2020, but the malware was not detected until February 2021, while attacks against Germany's critical infrastructure in 2018 involved 157 cyber incidents, 19 of which targeted the power grid. The primary intent of this research proposal is to address emerging cybersecurity challenges of new power grid systems such as Distributed Automation Systems (DAS), Distributed Energy Resources (DERs), and Virtual Power Plants (VPPs), as well as further enhance the resilience of IEC 61850 substations, microgrids, and Wide-Area Measurement, Protection and Control (WAMPAC) systems. In this pursuit, we have a strategic industry partnership with Hydro-Québec, Hitachi Systems Security Inc., and StreamScan Inc. The main objectives are: (1) explore in-depth the cybersecurity of IEC 61850 substations, microgrids, DAS, DER, VPP, and WAMPAC; (2) elaborate realistic co-simulation models and digital twins capturing the Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) convergence, structures, and behaviors; (3) assess the impacts of attack models on the co-simulation models and digital twins; (4) elaborate advanced cybersecurity monitoring systems leveraging machine learning and AI, along with cyber-physical attack mitigation measures; (5) define and validate metrics capturing the cybersecurity and resilience posture of smart grid domains; (6) explore in-depth the scope and impact of supply chain attacks on smart grid systems, and devise mitigation strategies; (7) elaborate techniques to identify and fingerprint vulnerabilities of Industrial IoT devices. This will significantly enhance cybersecurity across multiple smart grid domains and provide a better understanding of the security requirements, the attack surfaces, the related vulnerabilities, and the attack scenarios. Alongside, industry partners will benefit from key technology transfers while a number of 38 highly qualified personnel (16 Ph.D., 12 MASc, and 5 Postdoctoral fellows) will be trained over a five-year period.