Securing Power Distribution Grid Against Power Botnet Attacks

Lizhi Wang; Lynn Pepin; Yan Li; Fei Miao; Amir Herzberg; Peng Zhang

doi:10.1109/pesgm40551.2019.8974098

Securing Power Distribution Grid Against Power Botnet Attacks

Lizhi Wang, Lynn Pepin, Yan Li, Fei Miao, Amir Herzberg, Peng Zhang

University of Connecticut

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

A botnet is a collection of internet-facing devices that are compromised and controlled by a malicious hacker. In this paper, we propose an attack utilising a botnet of high-wattage internet-facing devices, which we call a power botnet. Power botnet attacks can decrease the reliability of power supply, damage the power quality and even cause catastrophic consequences in power distribution grid. To study the effects on power distribution systems, we simulate three different types of power botnet attacks using OpenDSS, and show the change of OLTC lifespans under attacks. We then use deep learning methods to detect these attacks. We show successful detection for two of these attacks and a low detection rate for the third attack. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to consider power botnet attacks, and leverage deep learning methods to detect these attacks on power distribution grids. Future work such as detection schemes for more complicated power botnet attacks will be developed based on the results of this work.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2019 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, PESGM 2019
Publisher	IEEE Computer Society
ISBN (Electronic)	9781728119816
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/pesgm40551.2019.8974098
State	Published - Aug 2019
Externally published	Yes
Event	2019 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, PESGM 2019 - Atlanta, United States Duration: 4 Aug 2019 → 8 Aug 2019

Publication series

Name	IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting
Volume	2019-August
ISSN (Print)	1944-9925
ISSN (Electronic)	1944-9933

Conference

Conference	2019 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, PESGM 2019
Country/Territory	United States
City	Atlanta
Period	4/08/19 → 8/08/19

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 IEEE.

Funding

This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant ECCS-1831811, in part by Eversource Energy, and in part by the Office of the Provost, University of Connecticut.

Funders	Funder number
Eversource Energy
National Science Foundation	2018492, ECCS-1831811, 1831811
University of Connecticut
Office of the Vice Provost for Research, Boston College

Keywords

Attack Detection
Cyber Security
Load altering attack
Machine Learning
Power Botnet

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1109/pesgm40551.2019.8974098

Cite this

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title = "Securing Power Distribution Grid Against Power Botnet Attacks",

abstract = "A botnet is a collection of internet-facing devices that are compromised and controlled by a malicious hacker. In this paper, we propose an attack utilising a botnet of high-wattage internet-facing devices, which we call a power botnet. Power botnet attacks can decrease the reliability of power supply, damage the power quality and even cause catastrophic consequences in power distribution grid. To study the effects on power distribution systems, we simulate three different types of power botnet attacks using OpenDSS, and show the change of OLTC lifespans under attacks. We then use deep learning methods to detect these attacks. We show successful detection for two of these attacks and a low detection rate for the third attack. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to consider power botnet attacks, and leverage deep learning methods to detect these attacks on power distribution grids. Future work such as detection schemes for more complicated power botnet attacks will be developed based on the results of this work.",

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Wang, L, Pepin, L, Li, Y, Miao, F, Herzberg, A & Zhang, P 2019, Securing Power Distribution Grid Against Power Botnet Attacks. in 2019 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, PESGM 2019., 8974098, IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, vol. 2019-August, IEEE Computer Society, 2019 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, PESGM 2019, Atlanta, United States, 4/08/19. https://doi.org/10.1109/pesgm40551.2019.8974098

Securing Power Distribution Grid Against Power Botnet Attacks. / Wang, Lizhi; Pepin, Lynn; Li, Yan et al.
2019 IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting, PESGM 2019. IEEE Computer Society, 2019. 8974098 (IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting; Vol. 2019-August).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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AB - A botnet is a collection of internet-facing devices that are compromised and controlled by a malicious hacker. In this paper, we propose an attack utilising a botnet of high-wattage internet-facing devices, which we call a power botnet. Power botnet attacks can decrease the reliability of power supply, damage the power quality and even cause catastrophic consequences in power distribution grid. To study the effects on power distribution systems, we simulate three different types of power botnet attacks using OpenDSS, and show the change of OLTC lifespans under attacks. We then use deep learning methods to detect these attacks. We show successful detection for two of these attacks and a low detection rate for the third attack. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to consider power botnet attacks, and leverage deep learning methods to detect these attacks on power distribution grids. Future work such as detection schemes for more complicated power botnet attacks will be developed based on the results of this work.

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Securing Power Distribution Grid Against Power Botnet Attacks

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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