Smart Grid Security Educational Training with ThunderCloud

In this paper, we describe a cloud based virtual smart grid test bed: ThunderCloud, which can be used for domain-specific security educational training applicable to the smart grid environment. The test bed consists of virtual machines connected using a virtual internal network. ThunderCloud is remotely accessible, allowing students to undergo training exercises online. We also describe a series of practical exercises that we have developed for providing the domain-specific training using ThunderCloud. The training exercises and attacks are designed to be realistic and to reflect known vulnerabilities and attacks reported in the smart grid environment. With ThunderCloud, we were able to offer practical domain-specific security training for smart grid environment to our computer science students at little or no cost to our department and no risk to any real networks or systems.