An exploration of defensive deception in industrial communication networks

Julian L. Rrushi

International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, 2011, vol. 4, issue 2, 66-75

Abstract: Process control networks constitute a vantage point for computer network attacks on electrical power infrastructures such as power plants and electrical substations. Consequently those networks represent a critical point of network defense in power grid computer networks. In this paper we discuss research that draws on military deception to conduct a cognitive hacking into the attacker’s mind at the process control network level. This research enables the defender to influence the attacker’s target selection process, and thus pilot it towards simulated physical processes and equipment. A hijacked target selection process causes the attacker to generate specific network traffic that makes a significant contribution to the detection of the ongoing network intrusion. Our cognitive hacking approach is based on displays created via simulation of the appearance of physical processes and equipment. The main counter attack vectors employed consist of emission of deceptive network traffic and exploitation of information conversion as means of concealing deceptive simulation. We have implemented this research as a small proof of concept prototype, and thus in the paper we also discuss an analysis of its deception effects via application of signal detection theory.

Keywords: Industrial informatics; Military deception; Intrusion detection; Signal detection theory (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1874548211000230
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ijocip:v:4:y:2011:i:2:p:66-75

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcip.2011.06.002

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection is currently edited by Leon Strous

More articles in International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().