Model-Based Evaluation of GPS Spoofing Attacks on Power Grid Sensors
Ilge Akkaya, Edward A. Lee, Patricia Derler

Citation
Ilge Akkaya, Edward A. Lee, Patricia Derler. "Model-Based Evaluation of GPS Spoofing Attacks on Power Grid Sensors". IEEE Workshop on Modeling and Simulation of Cyber-Physical Energy Systems, 20, May, 2013.

Abstract
Emerging cyber-physical system (CPS) applications require reliable time synchronization to enable distributed control and sensing applications. However, time reference signals are vulnerable to attacks that could remain undetected for a long time. Sensor-rich distributed CPS such as the "smart grid" highly rely on GPS and similar time references for sub-station clock synchronization. The vulnerability of time synchronization protocols to spoofing attacks is a potential risk factor that may lead to falsified sensor readings and, at a larger scale, may become hazardous for system safety. This paper describes a simulation-based assessment of the effect of time accuracy on time-centric power system applications. In particular, the vulnerability of power grid sensors to erroneous time references and the potential risks of time spoofing on power grid health are studied, using the Ptolemy modeling and simulation tool. Two GPS spoofing scenarios are considered, which may either trigger false generator trips or conceal existing phase angle deviations in the power grid to cause potential grid instability.

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Citation formats

• HTML

  Ilge Akkaya, Edward A. Lee, Patricia Derler. <a
  href="http://www.terraswarm.org/pubs/42.html"
  >Model-Based Evaluation of GPS Spoofing Attacks on Power
  Grid Sensors</a>, IEEE Workshop on Modeling and
  Simulation of Cyber-Physical Energy Systems, 20, May, 2013.

• Plain text

  Ilge Akkaya, Edward A. Lee, Patricia Derler.
  "Model-Based Evaluation of GPS Spoofing Attacks on
  Power Grid Sensors". IEEE Workshop on Modeling and
  Simulation of Cyber-Physical Energy Systems, 20, May, 2013.

• BibTeX

  @inproceedings{AkkayaLeeDerler13_ModelBasedEvaluationOfGPSSpoofingAttacksOnPowerGrid,
      author = {Ilge Akkaya and Edward A. Lee and Patricia Derler},
      title = {Model-Based Evaluation of GPS Spoofing Attacks on
                Power Grid Sensors},
      booktitle = {IEEE Workshop on Modeling and Simulation of
                Cyber-Physical Energy Systems},
      day = {20},
      month = {May},
      year = {2013},
      abstract = {Emerging cyber-physical system (CPS) applications
                require reliable time synchronization to enable
                distributed control and sensing applications.
                However, time reference signals are vulnerable to
                attacks that could remain undetected for a long
                time. Sensor-rich distributed CPS such as the
                "smart grid" highly rely on GPS and similar time
                references for sub-station clock synchronization.
                The vulnerability of time synchronization
                protocols to spoofing attacks is a potential risk
                factor that may lead to falsified sensor readings
                and, at a larger scale, may become hazardous for
                system safety. This paper describes a
                simulation-based assessment of the effect of time
                accuracy on time-centric power system
                applications. In particular, the vulnerability of
                power grid sensors to erroneous time references
                and the potential risks of time spoofing on power
                grid health are studied, using the Ptolemy
                modeling and simulation tool. Two GPS spoofing
                scenarios are considered, which may either trigger
                false generator trips or conceal existing phase
                angle deviations in the power grid to cause
                potential grid instability.},
      URL = {http://terraswarm.org/pubs/42.html}
  }
  

Posted by Paul Lim on 11 Mar 2013.
Groups: tools