A multi-layered and kill-chain based security analysis framework for cyber-physical systems

Adam Hahn, Roshan K. Thomas, Ivan Lozano and Alvaro Cardenas

International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, 2015, vol. 11, issue C, 39-50

Abstract: This paper introduces a novel framework for understanding cyber attacks and the related risks to cyber-physical systems. The framework consists of two elements, a three-layered logical model and reference architecture for cyber-physical systems, and a meta-model of cyber-physical system attacks that is referred to as the cyber-physical system kill-chain. The layered reference architecture provides a systematic basis for studying how the causal chain associated with cyber perturbations can be traced all the way to physical perturbations. The cyber-physical system kill-chain describes the progressive stages of attacks to illuminate the steps required for an attacker to launch a successful attack against a cyber-physical system. The proposed framework offers a novel approach for comprehensively studying the elements of cyber-physical system attacks, including the attacker objectives, cyber exploitation, control-theoretic properties and physical system properties. The framework is evaluated using a simulated unmanned aerial system and the results of the evaluation are discussed. The longer-term goal is to use the framework as a means to deduce cyber-physical system security properties and to enumerate the principles for designing systems that are resilient to cyber attacks.

Keywords: Cyber-physical system security; Kill-chain; Cyber reconnaissance; Controllability; Observability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ijocip:v:11:y:2015:i:c:p:39-50

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcip.2015.08.003

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