Cybersecurity concerns have arisen due to extensive information exchange among networked smart grid devices which also employ seamless firmware update. An outstanding issue is the presence of malware-injected malicious devices at the grid edge which can cause severe disturbances to grid operations and propagate malware on the power grid. This paper proposes a cloud-based, device-specific malware file detection system for smart grid devices. In the proposed system, a quantum-convolutional neural network (QCNN) with a deep transfer learning (DTL) is designed and implemented in a cloud platform to detect malware files targeting various smart grid devices. The proposed QCNN algorithm incorporates quantum circuits to extract more features from the malware image files than the filter in conventional CNNs and the DTL method to improve detection accuracy for different types of devices (e.g., processor architecture and operating systems). The proposed algorithm is implemented in the IBM Watson Studio cloud platform that utilizes IBM Quantum processor. The experimental results validate that the proposed malware file detection method significantly improves the malware file detection rates compared to the conventional CNN-based method.

The continuing integration of decentralized energy generators requires a more flexible power grid, which necessitates the use of stronger automation and more communication technologies between the control systems. This is accompanied by an increase in the attack surface of the power grid, such as attacks on firmware of intelligent electronic devices. This publication aims to secure intelligent electronic devices by monitoring their firmware. To achieve this aim, Trusted Computing technology such as remote attestation are integrated into the power grid domain specific communication standards to improve security in the current power grid architecture. The outcome is an appropriate conceptual information model for the IEC 61850 standard in order to be qualified to transfer remote attestation information and exchange them with the control centre. Such a solution is perfectly designed for automatic remote monitoring.

Air-gapped workstations are separated from the Internet because they contain confidential or sensitive information. Studies have shown that attackers can leak data from air-gapped computers with covert ultrasonic signals produced by loudspeakers. To counteract the threat, speakers might not be permitted on highly sensitive computers or disabled altogether - a measure known as an ’audio gap.’ This paper presents an attack enabling adversaries to exfiltrate data over ultrasonic waves from air-gapped, audio-gapped computers without external speakers. The malware on the compromised computer uses its built-in buzzer to generate sonic and ultrasonic signals. This component is mounted on many systems, including PC workstations, embedded systems, and server motherboards. It allows software and firmware to provide error notifications to a user, such as memory and peripheral hardware failures. We examine the different types of internal buzzers and their hardware and software controls. Despite their limited technological capabilities, such as 1-bit sound, we show that sensitive data can be encoded in sonic and ultrasonic waves. This is done using pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques to maintain a carrier wave with a dynamic range. We also show that malware can evade detection by hiding in the frequency bands of other components (e.g., fans and power supplies). We implement the attack using a PC transmitter and smartphone app receiver. We discuss transmission protocols, modulation, encoding, and reception and present the evaluation of the covert channel as well. Based on our tests, sensitive data can be exfiltrated from air-gapped computers through its built- in buzzer. A smartphone can receive data from up to six meters away at 100 bits per second.

The computing capability of the embedded systems and bandwidth of the home network increase rapidly due to the rapid development of information and communication technologies. Many home appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, or air conditioners are now connected to the internet, then, the controlling firmware modules are automatically updatable via the network. TR-069 is a widely adopted standard for automatic appliance management and firmware update. Maintaining a TR069 network usually involves the design and deployment of the overall security and trust infrastructure, the update file repository and the update audit mechanisms. Thus, maintaining a dedicated TR-069 network is a heavy burden for the vendors of home appliances. Blockchain is an emerging technology that provides a secure and trust infrastructure based on distributed consensus. This paper reports the results of our initial attempt to design a prototype of a multitenant TR-069 platform based on the blockchain. The core idea is to reify each automatic deployment task as a smart contract instance whose transactions are recorded in the append-only distributed ledger and verified by the peers. Also, the overall design should be transparent to the original TR069 entities. We have built a prototype based on the proposed architecture to verify the feasibility in three key scenarios. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is feasible and is able to scale linearly in proportion to the number of managed devices.

Practical cryptographic systems rely on a true random number generator (TRNG), which is a necessary component in any hardware Root-of-Trust (RoT). Hardware trust anchors are also integrated into larger chips, for instance as hard-IP cores in FPGAs, where the remaining FPGA fabric is freely programmable. To provide security guarantees, proper operation of the TRNG is critical. By that, adversaries are interested to tamper with the ability of TRNGs to produce unpredictable random numbers. In this paper, we show that an FPGA on-chip attack can reduce the true randomness of a TRNG integrated as a hard-IP module in the FPGA. This module is considered to be an immutable security module, compliant with NIST SP 800193 Platform Firmware Resilience Guidelines (PFR), which is a well known guideline for system resilience, and it is also certified by the Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program (CAVP). By performing an on-chip voltage drop-based fault attack with user-programmable FPGA logic, the random numbers produced by the IP core fail NIST SP 800-22 and BSI AIS31 tests, meaning they are not truly random anymore. By that, this paper shows that new attack vectors can break even verified IP cores, since on-chip attacks are usually not considered in the threat model, which can still affect highly integrated systems.

The computing capability of the embedded systems and bandwidth of the home network increase rapidly due to the rapid development of information and communication technologies. Many home appliances such as TVs, refrigerators, or air conditioners are now connected to the internet, then, the controlling firmware modules are automatically updatable via the network. TR-069 is a widely adopted standard for automatic appliance management and firmware update. Maintaining a TR069 network usually involves the design and deployment of the overall security and trust infrastructure, the update file repository and the update audit mechanisms. Thus, maintaining a dedicated TR-069 network is a heavy burden for the vendors of home appliances. Blockchain is an emerging technology that provides a secure and trust infrastructure based on distributed consensus. This paper reports the results of our initial attempt to design a prototype of a multitenant TR-069 platform based on the blockchain. The core idea is to reify each automatic deployment task as a smart contract instance whose transactions are recorded in the append-only distributed ledger and verified by the peers. Also, the overall design should be transparent to the original TR069 entities. We have built a prototype based on the proposed architecture to verify the feasibility in three key scenarios. The experimental results show that the proposed approach is feasible and is able to scale linearly in proportion to the number of managed devices.

Network Security Resiliency - The 5G ecosystem is designed as a highly sophisticated and modularized architecture that decouples the radio access network (RAN), the multi-access edge computing (MEC) and the mobile core to enable different and scalable deployments. It leverages modern principles of virtualized network functions, microservices-based service chaining, and cloud-native software stacks. Moreover, it provides built-in security and mechanisms for slicing. Despite all these capabilities, there remain many gaps and opportunities for additional capabilities to support end-toend secure operations for applications across many domains. Although 5G supports mechanisms for network slicing and tunneling, new algorithms and mechanisms that can adapt network slice configurations dynamically to accommodate urgent and mission-critical traffic are needed. Such slices must be secure, interference-aware, and free of side channel attacks. Resilience of the 5G ecosystem itself requires an effective means for observability and (semi-)autonomous self-healing capabilities. To address this plethora of challenges, this paper presents the SECurity and REsiliency TEchniques for Differentiated 5G OPerationS (SECRETED 5G OPS) project, which is investigating fundamental new solutions that center on the zero trust, network slicing, and network augmentation dimensions, which together will achieve secure and differentiated operations in 5G networks. SECRETED 5G OPS solutions are designed to be easily deployable, minimally invasive to the existing infrastructure, not require modifications to user equipment other than possibly firmware upgrades, economically viable, standards compliant, and compliant to regulations.

Network Security Resiliency - The 5G ecosystem is designed as a highly sophisticated and modularized architecture that decouples the radio access network (RAN), the multi-access edge computing (MEC) and the mobile core to enable different and scalable deployments. It leverages modern principles of virtualized network functions, microservices-based service chaining, and cloud-native software stacks. Moreover, it provides built-in security and mechanisms for slicing. Despite all these capabilities, there remain many gaps and opportunities for additional capabilities to support end-toend secure operations for applications across many domains. Although 5G supports mechanisms for network slicing and tunneling, new algorithms and mechanisms that can adapt network slice configurations dynamically to accommodate urgent and mission-critical traffic are needed. Such slices must be secure, interference-aware, and free of side channel attacks. Resilience of the 5G ecosystem itself requires an effective means for observability and (semi-)autonomous self-healing capabilities. To address this plethora of challenges, this paper presents the SECurity and REsiliency TEchniques for Differentiated 5G OPerationS (SECRETED 5G OPS) project, which is investigating fundamental new solutions that center on the zero trust, network slicing, and network augmentation dimensions, which together will achieve secure and differentiated operations in 5G networks. SECRETED 5G OPS solutions are designed to be easily deployable, minimally invasive to the existing infrastructure, not require modifications to user equipment other than possibly firmware upgrades, economically viable, standards compliant, and compliant to regulations.

Middleware Security - Cybersecurity of power hardware is becoming increasingly critical with the emergence of smart and connected devices such as Grid-connected inverters, EVs and their chargers, microgrid controllers, energy storage / energy management controllers, and smart appliances. Cyber-attacks on power hardware have had far-reaching and widespread impacts. For such cyber-physical systems, security must be ensured at all levels in the design - hardware, firmware, software and interfaces. Although previous approaches to cybersecurity have focused mainly on vulnerabilities in the firmware middleware, or software, vulnerabilities in the hardware itself are hard to identify and harder to mitigate, especially when most hardware components are proprietary and not examinable. This paper presents one approach to mitigate this conundrum - a completely open-source implementation of a microcontroller core along with the associated peripherals based on the well-known RISC-V instruction set architecture (ISA). The proof-of-concept architecture presented here uses the “Shakti” E-Class microcontroller core integrated with a fully custom PWM controller implemented in Verilog, and validated on a Xilinx Artix FPGA. For critical applications such designs may be replicated as a custom ASIC thereby guaranteeing total security of the computing hardware.

In the context of IoT (Internet of Things), Device Management (DM), i.e., remote administration of IoT devices, becomes essential to keep them connected, updated and secure, thus increasing their lifespan through firmware and configuration updates and security patches. Legacy DM solutions are adequate when dealing with home devices (such as Television set-top boxes) but need to be extended to adapt to new IoT requirements. Indeed, their manual operation by system administrators requires advanced knowledge and skills. Further, the static DM platform — a component above IoT platforms that offers advanced features such as campaign updates / massive operation management — is unable to scale and adapt to IoT dynamicity. To cope with this, this work, performed in an industrial context at Orange, proposes a self-adaptive architecture with runtime horizontal scaling of DM servers, with an autonomic Auto-Scaling Manager, integrating in the loop constraint programming for decision-making, validated with a meaningful industrial use-case.

Forensic Science comprises a set of technical-scientific knowledge used to solve illicit acts. The increasing use of mobile devices as the main computing platform, in particular smartphones, makes existing information valuable for forensics. However, the blocking mechanisms imposed by the manufacturers and the variety of models and technologies make the task of reconstructing the data for analysis challenging. It is worth mentioning that the conclusion of a case requires more than the simple identification of evidence, as it is extremely important to correlate all the data and sources obtained, to confirm a suspicion or to seek new evidence. This work carries out a systematic review of the literature, identifying the different types of existing image acquisition and the main extraction and encryption methods used in smartphones with the Android operating system.

Highly secure devices are often isolated from the Internet or other public networks due to the confidential information they process. This level of isolation is referred to as an ’air-gap .’In this paper, we present a new technique named ETHERLED, allowing attackers to leak data from air-gapped networked devices such as PCs, printers, network cameras, embedded controllers, and servers. Networked devices have an integrated network interface controller (NIC) that includes status and activity indicator LEDs. We show that malware installed on the device can control the status LEDs by blinking and alternating colors, using documented methods or undocumented firmware commands. Information can be encoded via simple encoding such as Morse code and modulated over these optical signals. An attacker can intercept and decode these signals from tens to hundreds of meters away. We show an evaluation and discuss defensive and preventive countermeasures for this exfiltration attack.

Smart cities deploy large numbers of sensors and collect a tremendous amount of data from them. For example, Advanced Metering Infrastructures (AMIs), which consist of physical meters that collect usage data about public utilities such as power and water, are an important building block in a smart city. In a typical sensor network, the measurement devices are connected through a computer network, which exposes them to cyber attacks. Furthermore, the data is centrally managed at the operator’s servers, making it vulnerable to insider threats.Our goal is to protect the integrity of data collected by large-scale sensor networks and the firmware in measurement devices from cyber attacks and insider threats. To this end, we first develop a comprehensive threat model for attacks against data and firmware integrity, which can target any of the stakeholders in the operation of the sensor network. Next, we use our threat model to analyze existing defense mechanisms, including signature checks, remote firmware attestation, anomaly detection, and blockchain-based secure logs. However, the large size of the Trusted Computing Base and a lack of scalability limit the applicability of these existing mechanisms. We propose the Feather-Light Blockchain Infrastructure (FLBI) framework to address these limitations. Our framework leverages a two-layer architecture and cryptographic threshold signature chains to support large networks of low-capacity devices such as meters and data aggregators. We have fully implemented the FLBI’s end-to-end functionality on the Hyperledger Fabric and private Ethereum blockchain platforms. Our experiments show that the FLBI is able to support millions of end devices.

Aiming at the specificity and complexity of the power IoT terminal, a method of power IoT terminal firmware vulnerability detection based on memory fuzzing is proposed. Use the method of bypassing the execution to simulate and run the firmware program, dynamically monitor and control the execution of the firmware program, realize the memory fuzzing test of the firmware program, design an automatic vulnerability exploitability judgment plug-in for rules and procedures, and provide power on this basis The method and specific process of the firmware vulnerability detection of the IoT terminal. The effectiveness of the method is verified by an example.

Microcontroller-based embedded systems have become ubiquitous with the emergence of IoT technology. Given its critical roles in many applications, its security is becoming increasingly important. Unfortunately, MCU devices are especially vulnerable. Code reuse attacks are particularly noteworthy since the memory address of firmware code is static. This work seeks to combat code reuse attacks, including ROP and more advanced JIT-ROP via continuous randomization. Previous proposals are geared towards full-fledged OSs with rich runtime environments, and therefore cannot be applied to MCUs. We propose the first solution for ARM-based MCUs. Our system, named HARM, comprises a secure runtime and a binary analysis tool with rewriting module. The secure runtime, protected inside the secure world, proactively triggers and performs non-bypassable randomization to the firmware running in a sandbox in the normal world. Our system does not rely on any firmware feature, and therefore is generally applicable to both bare-metal and RTOS-powered firmware. We have implemented a prototype on a development board. Our evaluation results indicate that HARM can effectively thaw code reuse attacks while keeping the performance and energy overhead low.

Even as Internet of Things (IoT) network security grows, concerns about the security of IoT devices have arisen. Although a few companies produce IP-connected gadgets for such ranging from small office, their security policies and implementations are often weak. They also require firmware updates or revisions to boost security and reduce vulnerabilities in equipment. A brownfield advance is necessary to verify systems where these helpless devices are present: putting in place basic security mechanisms within the system to render the system powerless possibly. Gadgets should cohabit without threatening their security in the same device. IoT network security has evolved into a platform that can segregate a large number of IoT devices, allowing law enforcement to compel the communication of defenseless devices in order to reduce the damage done by its unlawful transaction. IoT network security appears to be doable in well-known gadget types and can be deployed with minimum transparency.