Firewall Configuration and Path Analysis for Smart Grid Networks

Abstract

The objective of this research is to develop a complete cyber topology model of the Texas 2000- bus synthetic grid, and to study the data flow through utility companies to defend their networks from cyber-attacks. Specifically, this work focuses to create a set of firewall rules and configurations in a model network, optimize them by testing them against various attacks, then translate them to iptables to be used in our teams test bed. Cisco Packet Tracer will be used to create and test a network with various protocols allowed and denied at various nodes in the network. This sample network has a utility control center network, a substation network, and a balancing authority network. Then Network Perceptions NP-View software is used to run and analyze all firewall and router configuration files for a complete path analysis and risk assessment. The final goal is to understand every possible path into and out of each network, who is permitted to use these paths, and where an attacker might exploit the network. Then these possible attacks are simulated, traced, and studied, to allow for a better network topology.