Analysis of cyber vulnerabilities of the emergency control and relay protection to assess the reliability and survivability of electrical power systems in the era of total digitalization

Abstract

Cyber threats pose an increasing threat to energy objects. It is essential to ensure the cybersecurity of automatic control systems, such as relay protection devices (RP), devices of regime control (RC) and emergency control (EC), automated control systems. At the same time, the issues of cybersecurity include not only the problem of hacker attacks, but also the whole complex of problems relating to adequate functioning of cybernetic systems in the power industry. The authors consider two of the most acute aspects of cybersecurity in the energy systems of the future in the era of total digitalization: large-scale prepared cyber attacks on the electrical power systems (EPS) as a whole and large-scale cyber attacks on distribution networks with small-scale generation facilities and active consumers.