University of North Texas Digital Library (University of North Texas) · 2013 · 13 citations · 0 references
Open access
ComputingComputer ScienceCybersecurityComputer SecurityCritical Infrastructure ProtectionEmbedded SystemsCyber-physical SecurityEmbedded SecurityIndustrial Control Systems SecurityIntrusion DetectionProgrammable Logic ControllersSystem SecurityExploit DetectionFirmware UpdatesIndustrial CybersecurityPlc SecurityProgrammable Logic ControlProgrammable Logic Controller SecurityZero-day ExploitsZero-day Vulnerabilities
Critical infrastructures, such as electrical power plants and oil refineries, rely on programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to control essential processes. State of the art security cannot detect attacks on PLCs at the hardware or firmware level. This renders critical infrastructure control systems vulnerable to costly and dangerous attacks. WeaselBoard is a PLC backplane analysis system that connects directly to the PLC backplane to capture backplane communications between modules. WeaselBoard forwards inter-module traffic to an external analysis system that detects changes to process control settings, sensor values, module configuration information, firmware updates, and process control program (logic) updates. WeaselBoard provides zero-day exploit detection for PLCs by detecting changes in the PLC and the process. This approach to PLC monitoring is protected under U.S. Patent Application 13/947,887.