Social Collective Attack Model and Procedures for Large-Scale Cyber-Physical Systems.

Area of Science:

• Cyber-Physical Systems Security
• Social Engineering Threats
• Critical Infrastructure Protection

Background:

• Large-scale Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), like smart grids, are vital public utilities requiring robust security.
• Current CPS security models primarily address information-to-physical domain attacks.
• A new threat vector, Social Collective Attack on CPS (SCAC), exploits the social domain to disrupt physical subsystems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and systematically describe the Social Collective Attack on CPS (SCAC) threat.
• To extend the MITRE ATT&CK framework to encompass social, cyber, and physical domains for SCAC modeling.
• To analyze disinformation construction and dissemination strategies used in SCAC.

Main Methods:

• Extension of the MITRE ATT&CK framework to include social manipulation tactics.
• Analysis of social-cyber-physical interfaces for attack propagation.
• Development and simulation of SCAC scenarios in a smart grid environment.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of how disinformation can be constructed and spread to manipulate collective user behavior.
• Identification of pathways through which social manipulation leads to physical system malfunction.
• Validation of SCAC feasibility and impact via smart grid simulations.

Conclusions:

• SCAC represents a significant and emerging threat to critical infrastructures like smart grids.
• The extended MITRE ATT&CK framework provides a valuable tool for understanding and mitigating SCAC.
• Addressing social domain vulnerabilities is crucial for enhancing CPS security.