Cyber-Security Assessment of Power System Digital Components in the Conditions of Hostilities

Abstract

Emergencies, including hostilities, create additional cyber-physical security (CPS) challenges for the operation of digital power system components. This paper showcases the main problems faced by one of the components of the industrial control system in Ukraine (UA) after the outbreak of hostilities in 2022. The key CPS factors that affect these systems were identified. The requirement for these factors in UA, the Europe Union, and the United States of America standards were compared, and the competence of existing standards for conditions of hostilities was discussed. The performed case study demonstrates how the operation of Advanced Metering Infrastructure headend systems was affected by hostilities. Finally, based on identified bottlenecks of systems design and functioning, and a comparison of existing standards, the measures for improving the CPS of these systems were proposed.