Security challenges and methods for protecting critical infrastructure cyber-physical systems

Abstract

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) represent a fundamental link between information technology (IT) systems and the devices that control industrial production and maintain critical infrastructure services that support our modern world. Increasingly, the interconnections among CPS and IT systems have created exploitable security vulnerabilities due to a number of factors, including a legacy of weak information security applications on CPS and the tendency of CPS operators to prioritize operational availability at the expense of integrity and confidentiality. As a result, CPS are subject to a number of threats from cyber attackers and cyber-physical attackers, including denial of service and even attacks against the integrity of the data in the system. The effects of these attacks extend beyond mere loss of data or the inability to access information system services. Attacks against CPS can cause physical damage in the real world. This paper reviews the challenges of providing information assurance services for CPS that operate critical infrastructure systems and industrial control systems. These methods are thorough measures to close integrity and confidentiality gaps in CPS and processes to highlight the security risks that remain. This paper also outlines approaches to reduce the overhead and complexity for security methods, as well as examine novel approaches, including covert communications channels, to increase CPS security.