Optimal Dynamic Load-Altering Attacks against Power Systems

Katewa, V and Pasqualetti, F (2021) Optimal Dynamic Load-Altering Attacks against Power Systems. In: 2021 American Control Conference, ACC, 25-28 May 2021, New Orleans, pp. 4568-4573.

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Abstract

In this paper we study dynamical load-altering attacks in power networks, where an attacker aims to destabilize the network by modifying a portion of the loads present in it, and provide a provable method to design such attacks. From a practical standpoint, dynamic load-altering attacks are easily implemented by tampering with demand response and demand side management services, and can greatly compromise the efficiency and reliability of the grid. From a technical standpoint, dynamic load-altering attacks act as sparse perturbations to the network matrices that alter key dynamical properties, thus constituting a form of distributed or sparse controller for network systems. We cast the problem of designing minimally-invasive destabilizing load-altering attacks as a sparse stability radius optimization problem, and present a numerical algorithm to efficiently compute optimal destabilizing load-altering attacks. This analysis provides a vulnerability map that identifies secure and vulnerable loads in the power network. We illustrate our results using the IEEE-39 bus system. © 2021 American Automatic Control Council.

Item Type:	Conference Paper
Publication:	Proceedings of the American Control Conference
Publisher:	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Keywords:	Dynamic loads; Electric network analysis; Electric power transmission networks; Electric utilities; Network security, Dynamical properties; Efficiency and reliability; Minimally invasive; Numerical algorithms; Optimal dynamics; Optimization problems; Technical standpoint; Vulnerability maps, Demand side management
Department/Centre:	Division of Electrical Sciences > Electrical Communication Engineering
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2021 12:40
Last Modified:	20 Nov 2021 12:40
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/69906

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