A Set-Based Control Mode Selection Approach for Active Detection of False Data Injection Cyberattacks

In the last two decades, several highly sophisticated cyberattacks have targeted process control systems (PCSs) that operate chemical processes. To enhance PCS cybersecurity, cyberattack detection schemes utilizing operational data to reveal the presence of attacks on PCSs have received extensive attention. Stealthy attacks are designed to evade detection by an operational technology-based detection scheme. Their detection may require an active detection method, which perturbs the process by utilizing an external intervention for attack detection. In this work, two control modes that may be used to induce perturbations for active attack detection of steathly false-data injection cyberattacks are presented. A reachability analysis is used to develop a set-based condition indicating that if met by a specific stealthy attack, the attack will be detected and therefore, the control mode is considered to be “attack-revealing”. Leveraging the condition, a screening algorithm that may be used to select an attack-revealing control mode is presented. Using an illustrative process, the application of the screening algorithm is demonstrated.