Analysing the Impact of Compromising IoT Consumer Devices in Power Systems

Abstract

This chapter explores the potential risk in power systems due to the increasing penetration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices at the consumer level. It focuses on the potential for Manipulation of Demand through IoT (MaDIoT) attacks, where attackers exploit these devices to disrupt power system operations. For this, a comparative analysis of the impact of MaDIoT attacks on two distinct power system models is provided: the IEEE 39-Bus (New England) system and the PST-16 system (a simplified European model). By assuming that attackers lack advanced knowledge of the grid, the analysis highlights significant differences in the success probability and impact of attacks between these systems, providing insights into the varying responses of different power systems to MaDIoT attacks, and emphasising the need for system operators to consider these in their cybersecurity risk assessment in the future.

This chapter explores the potential risk in power systems due to the increasing penetration of Internet of Things (IoT) devices at the consumer level. It focuses on the potential for Manipulation of Demand through IoT (MaDIoT) attacks, where attackers exploit these devices to disrupt power system operations. For this, a comparative analysis of the impact of MaDIoT attacks on two distinct power system models is provided: the IEEE 39-Bus (New England) system and the PST-16 system (a simplified European model). By assuming that attackers lack advanced knowledge of the grid, the analysis highlights significant differences in the success probability and impact of attacks between these systems, providing insights into the varying responses of different power systems to MaDIoT attacks, and emphasising the need for system operators to consider these in their cybersecurity risk assessment in the future.