Conducting Attack Scenarios and Forensic Techniques in a Virtual ICS Test Bed

Conducting Attack Scenarios and Forensic Techniques in a Virtual ICS Test Bed

연구 분야: Safety

학회: 2024 Annual Computer Security Applications Conference Workshops (ACSAC Workshops)

The global Industrial sector has seen a sudden rise in cybercriminal activity. The objectives of these threat actors vary but the result is unequivocally the same; the compromise of the trusted systems that humanity relies on for food, medicine, fuel, transportation, and more. These core social institutions are increasingly subjected to cyber-attacks, underscoring the critical importance of developing robust defense and incident response methodologies in the face of escalating threats. This paper presents a virtual industrial control system (ICS) testbed model designed to address this challenge by providing a platform for rigorously testing the security posture of engineering workstations (EW) and advancing digital forensics within the ICS. Through simulations of real-world attack scenarios and forensic investigations within a virtual environment, the research demonstrates the potential for disrupting physical processes and identifying network and host vulnerabilities. While the virtual testbed offers significant financial and logistical advantages over physical or hybrid testbeds, challenges remain in creating fully faithful digital twin networks. Proposed initiatives aim to address these challenges and enhance the capabilities of virtual ICS testbeds, ultimately contributing to the resilience and security of critical infrastructure systems.