An Online Mechanism for Detection of Gray-Hole Attacks on PMU Data

Data from phasor measurement units (PMUs) enable the efficient functioning of critical power applications supporting real-time monitoring, advanced protection, and dynamic control. Given the time-sensitive and critical nature of these measurements, PMU data are attractive targets for malicious attackers aiming to cause widespread grid damage. This paper addresses the problem of detecting a class of cyber threats called gray-hole attack, where the adversary drops PMU data packets as they traverse the network, resulting in loss of observability and subsequently, incorrect control decisions. This paper proposes an online mechanism for detecting gray-hole attacks in real-time. The proposed mechanism uses the timing information inherent in the PMU data for detecting packet drop attacks, and does not impose any overheads or require any support from the network infrastructure. Extensive simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed detection mechanism under different network conditions.