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At least 199 records · Page 11

EVSE Cybersecurity and Resilience

Consequence-driven Cybersecurity Analysis for Extreme Fast Charging Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Electric vehicle (EV) development and associated charging infrastructure are expected to advance rapidly. Thirty percent of all global vehicle sales may be EVs and hybrid EVs by 2025, and they will rely on increasingly sophisticated strategies for grid integration. Next-generation EV charging infrastructure is expected to include interconnected renewable resources, such as photovoltaic (PV) arrays and battery storage systems, along with grid-edge devices. Although distributed energy resources (DERs) are useful in several ways, such as peak shaving at high demand times and backup supply for added resilience, the integration of vehicle charging and DERs could create more avenues for cyberattack. Physical and/or remote access to EV charging station components, including charge ports, power electronics, controllers, and local generation (e.g., PV and energy storage) could be paths to cause power fluctuations, leading to altered operations at the charging station, escalated privileges to administrative systems, exfiltration of financial information (including personally identifiable information), and reduced grid stability. One compromised EV supply equipment component can open the door to a variety of exploitable vulnerabilities. Cloud computing and mobile application control have the potential to expand the threat surface to non-repudiation and firmware integrity challenges. Vendor clouds have access to hundreds of chargers, and if compromised, can scale the attack surface exponentially. The high power and voltage levels of xFC infrastructure (e.g., 400 kW at 1000- V DC) increase the hazards and ability to impact the grid and vehicles more than lower-power charging systems. Legacy communications systems and protocols could also put EV infrastructure at risk of cyberattacks requiring a robust patch management process. Communications networks link EVs and chargers to several stakeholders - including charging station operators, grid operators, vendors/manufacturers, and aggregators - who have both physical and network access to share information for control, monitoring, and analytics. Information in these networks that is vulnerable to compromise includes the state of charge, charging duration, payment information, electricity price, and load control. Analyzing and prioritizing these interconnections risks could help address cybersecurity related to data leakage and manipulation.

charging↗

Anomaly Detection and Mitigation for Dynamic Frequency Regulation in Hydropower-Battery Systems: Preprint

Hydropower operators and energy storage providers are increasingly interested in participating in frequency regulation services, driven by the incentives offered by independent system operators, such as the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection (PJM), in a competitive electricity market. This transition, however, unfolds against the backdrop of a modernizing and rapidly digitizing power grid, exposing the integrated legacy infrastructure and vulnerable communication networks to a multitude of cybersecurity threats. These evolving threats not only endanger grid operations but also have the potential to trigger cascading disruptions across the broader grid network and influence regulation markets. This work presents an approach for developing an anomaly detection and mitigation system to address cybersecurity challenges during the participation of a hydropower-integrated battery energy storage system (BESS) in a frequency regulation market. The applied anomaly detector utilizes machine learning algorithms to provide detailed classification of cyber-physical events and provide a comprehensive situation awareness to grid operators. Later, the applied mitigation system triggers predefined corrective actions to minimize the impact of data integrity attacks on the regulation market and system stability. We evaluated the proposed approach on a fully active BESS topology using the slow regulation signal (Reg A) coming from the PJM market. Our simulation results reveal that the proposed approach performs well in detecting data integrity attacks within the allocated time frame and also minimizes the system's instability and economic loss during the participation of hydropower and BESS in the regulation market.

battery energy storage system↗

A Framework to Demonstrate a DNP3 Interface With a CIM-Based Data Integration Platform: Preprint

The contemporary electrical grid is characterized by its complexity and abundance of data. A control-rich environment supported by information and communication technologies within an Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) presents a viable and cost-effective option for utility companies aiming to implement advanced real-time analytical schemes for monitoring and remotely controlling distribution feeders. Modular platform-based approaches to distribution operations require a structured framework for acquiring field device measurements, performing analytics, converting the setpoint to the correct protocol, and sending it on the appropriate communications network to the field devices. We present the development and deployment of an application service to integrate an open-source standardsbased platform with an ADMS test bed with field devices using the Distributed Network Protocol (DNP3) for data exchange. The step-by-step procedure for establishing the DNP3-Master service on an open-source distribution platform is outlined, comprehensively explaining the Master setup process. Moreover, sample use case results highlight the capabilities of the DNP3- Master service setup. Results demonstrate the scalability and configurability of the DNP3-Master service, making it adaptable for integration with other relevant applications, thus providing potential opportunities for real-world field trials and real-time assessments.

ADMS↗

A Distributed Model Identification Algorithm for Multi-Agent Systems: Preprint

In this study, we investigate agent-based approach for system model identification with emphasis on power distribution system applications. Departing from conventional practices of relying on historical data for offline model identification, we adopt online update approach utilizing real-time data by employing the latest data points for gradient computation. This methodology offers advantages including a large reduction in the communication network's bandwidth requirements by minimizing the data exchanged at each iteration and enabling the model to adapt in real-time to disturbances. Furthermore, we extend our model identification process from linear frameworks to more complex non-linear convex models. This extension is validated through numerical studies demonstrating improved control performance for a synthetic IEEE test case.

data-driven control↗

Privacy-Preserving Control of Partitioned Energy Resources

Distributed energy resources are an increasingly important part of the electric grid. We examine the problem of partitioning a distributed energy resource among many users while providing privacy to them. In this model, clients can send requests to a server, the server can verify that the requests are valid and aggregate them, but it cannot see the actual values in the requests. Without privacy, each user is forced to reveal their daily schedule or energy use. Energy resources add a novel challenge that prior systems do not address: they require verifying limits on private power (a rate over time) and energy (a sum) values. Furthermore, the cryptographic mechanisms must run on embedded energy control systems. We describe Weft, a novel cryptographic system that verifies both power (rate) and energy (integral) constraints on private client values and aggregates them. The key insight behind the approach is to rely on additively homomorphic secret shares, which allows servers to compute sums from rates. We present 3 cryptographic proof systems with different system trade-off for embedded systems: bit-splitting proofs minimize memory use, sorting proofs minimize computation, and commitment proofs minimize network communication. Using bit-splitting proofs, it takes an IoT client using a CortexM microcontroller 4 minutes of compute time to privately control its share of an energy resource for a day at 20s granularity.

Laufer, Evan↗

Advanced Research on Integrated Energy Systems Cyber Range

As digital technologies expand to meet the needs of a more autonomous, interconnected, and advanced power system, new cybersecurity complexities and vulnerabilities arise. The ARIES Cyber Range enables the energy sector to evaluate these evolutions and validate cybersecurity solutions without impacting live systems. Combining power grid-scale hardware with emulation and simulation approaches, the ARIES Cyber Range can faithfully replicate modern energy systems - from grid physics to communication networks, and everything in between - with real-world fidelity. At NLR, researchers and partners are answering complex power system cybersecurity questions, examining emerging threats to the electric sector, and de risking new security technologies, all at a mission-relevant speed that keeps pace with rapidly evolving systems and hazards.

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY↗

Towards Secure Autonomous Vehicles: An Integrated Edge and Multi-Modal Machine Learning Framework for Intrusion Detection

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are vulnerable to cyberattacks targeting both internal communication networks and external perception sensors. While edge-based intrusion de- tection for Controller Area Network (CAN) buses offers real-time protection, it cannot detect cross-modal threats. Conversely, multi-modal fusion approaches improve coverage but often lack efficiency for in-vehicle deployment. This thesis integrates two complemen- tary solutions: (1) a lightweight, edge-deployable machine learning framework for CAN bus intrusion detection, and (2) a late-fusion system combining CAN FD and LiDAR data. Together, they form a hierarchical defense capable of handling single-modality and coordi- nated attacks. Simulations show that CAN-only models reach 93% accuracy on simulated DoS, spoofing, replay, and fuzzy attacks, while the fusion system achieves 0.87 AUC and 0.82 F1-score at 2 ms latency. This unified framework establishes a scalable, explainable, and field-ready strategy for AV cybersecurity.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Deployable sensor system using mesh networking and satellite communication

A sensor system may be configured for continuous operation in a low resource environment and/or in extreme environmental conditions. The sensor system may have sufficient processing capabilities to provide scientific computing for pre-processing, quality control, statistical analysis, event classification, data compression and corrections (e.g., spikes in the data), autonomous decisions and actions, triggering other nodes, and information assurance functions that provide data confidentiality, data integrity, authentication, and non-repudiation. The hardware may have both mesh networking and satellite and cellular communication capability, and may be available for relatively low cost. Such a network provides the flexibility to have potentially any number of nodes be completely independent from one another. Thus, the network may scale across a diverse terrain.

Frigo, Janette↗

Serial communication tapping and transmission to routable networks

Apparatuses and methods for tapping serial communications and transforming the serial data into a format appropriate for routable networks are significant for purposes of security and troubleshooting, especially in critical infrastructure networks. Communication taps should be completely passive such that any failure would not interrupt the serial communications. Furthermore, automatic determination of unspecified serial protocol frames allow general implementation across various networks, or across devices within a single network, without the need to customize for each implementation.

Edgar, Thomas W.↗

Serial communication tapping and transmission to routable networks

Apparatuses and methods for tapping serial communications and transforming the serial data into a format appropriate for routable networks are significant for purposes of security and troubleshooting, especially in critical infrastructure networks. Communication taps should be completely passive such that any failure would not interrupt the serial communications. Furthermore, automatic determination of unspecified serial protocol frames allow general implementation across various networks, or across devices within a single network, without the need to customize for each implementation.

Edgar, Thomas W.↗

Communication systems and methods for authenticating data packets within network flow

A communication system includes a first quantum key distribution device and an intermediary device. The first quantum key distribution device is configured to be coupled to a second quantum key distribution device over a quantum channel and to generate a shared key with the second quantum key distribution device based on a quantum state transmitted along the quantum channel. The intermediary device is disposed along a communication pathway within a network between a sender device and a receiver device. The intermediary device is communicatively connected to the first quantum key distribution device and configured to utilize the shared key to authenticate one or more data packets communicated from the sender device along the communication pathway by examining the one or more data packets for a presence of an information pattern that is associated with the shared key.

Bush, Stephen Francis↗

User-Centric Communication With Aerial Network for 6G: A Reinforcement Learning Approach

Meeting the diverse needs of user verticals requires innovative cellular architectures that can offer additional degrees of freedom to provide on-demand services. The terrestrial user-centric radio access network (UC-RAN) stands out as an excellent choice for this purpose. However, a drawback of UC-RAN is its tendency to prioritize high-priority verticals, often resulting in a subpar quality of experience for low-priority verticals. This issue is particularly exacerbated in hotspot areas. Here, to address this problem, we introduce an aerial network integrated with terrestrial UC-RAN to provide coverage to users which are not served by the terrestrial network. Furthermore, we analyze the impact of key configuration and optimization parameters (COPs), such as location, transmit power, altitude, and beamwidth of aerial base stations (ABSs) on system key performance indicators (KPIs), such as coverage, latency satisfaction, average spectral efficiency, and energy efficiency. We formulate a robust multiobjective function to maximize these KPIs without biasing toward any specific KPI(s). Finally, we propose a deep reinforcement learning optimization framework based on the state-of-the-art soft actor-critic algorithm to control ABS COPs and optimize system KPIs. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that the proposed optimization framework can converge to near-optimal solutions derived from the pseudo brute force in a few thousand epochs.

6G↗

InterQnet: A Heterogeneous Full-Stack Approach to Co-Designing Scalable Quantum Networks

Quantum communications have progressed significantly, moving from a theoretical concept to small-scale experiments to recent metropolitan-scale demonstrations. As the technology matures, it is expected to revolutionize quantum computing in much the same way that classical networks revolutionized classical computing. Quantum communications will also enable breakthroughs in quantum sensing, metrology, and other areas. However, scalability has emerged as a major challenge, particularly in terms of the number and heterogeneity of nodes, the distances between nodes, the diversity of applications, and the scale of user demand. This article describes InterQnet, a multidisciplinary project that advances scalable quantum communications through a comprehensive approach that improves devices, error handling, and network architecture. InterQnet has a two-pronged strategy to address scalability challenges: InterQnet-Achieve focuses on practical realizations of heterogeneous quantum networks by building and then integrating first-generation quantum repeaters with error mitigation schemes and centralized automated network control systems. The resulting system will enable quantum communications between two heterogeneous quantum platforms through a third type of platform operating as a repeater node. InterQnet-Scale focuses on a systems study of architectural choices for scalable quantum networks by developing forward-looking models of quantum network devices, advanced error correction schemes, and entanglement protocols. Here, we report our current progress toward achieving our scalability goals.

Chung, Joaquin [Argonne] (ORCID:0000000173833810)↗

Autonomous Restoration of Networked Microgrids Using Communication-Free Smart Sensing and Protection Units

Here this paper presents autonomous restoration of networked microgrids using distributed energy resources (DERs), inverter-based resources (IBRs) in general, and controllable assets of intelligence without communication to achieve a extremely resilient power system restoration. The main innovation of this work lies in use of real-time smart sensing and decision making that enable autonomous recombination of islanded microgrids, which are individually black-started by local grid-forming (GFM) inverter units. The smart circuit breakers (SCBs) designed and demonstrated here play critical roles in the restoration process to achieve autonomy; the autonomous restoration scheme is not pre-engineered and may be subject to encounter overloading, live or downed segments as the boundary of the microgrids dynamically expands without prior knowledge and only with local measurement. We demonstrate autonomous microgrid restoration both in simulation of a modified IEEE 13-bus system, and in a hardware testbed comprising 24 GFM-IBRs and 6-SCBs, depicting several scenarios to evaluate their functionalities and interoperability. This work validates high potential of extremely resilient microgrid using novel approaches for inverter-based bottom-up system restoration in a communication-free paradigm.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

One step removed shadow network

A system and method includes an operational network that communicates with an external network by opening a first transmission protocol socket. A data diode coupled to the operational network and a gateway enables the one-way transfer of all information received from the external network and transmitted by the operational network to the gateway such that no information travels from the gateway to the operational network or the external network. The gateway opens a second transmission protocol socket by mapping a sequence number to an acknowledgement number and increasing that mapped acknowledgement number by a value of one. A transmitter then transmits the acknowledgment to a remote network or a gateway.

Park, Brent K.↗

Network packet templating for GPU-initiated communication

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for performing network packet templating for graphics processing unit (GPU)-initiated communication are disclosed. A central processing unit (CPU) creates a network packet according to a template and populates a first subset of fields of the network packet with static data. Next, the CPU stores the network packet in a memory. A GPU initiates execution of a kernel and detects a network communication request within the kernel and prior to the kernel completing execution. Responsive to this determination, the GPU populates a second subset of fields of the network packet with runtime data. Then, the GPU generates a notification that the network packet is ready to be processed. A network interface controller (NIC) processes the network packet using data retrieved from the first subset of fields and from the second subset of fields responsive to detecting the notification.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Reducing Communication Overhead in Federated Learning for Network Anomaly Detection with Adaptive Client Selection

Communication overhead in federated learning (FL) poses a significant challenge for network anomaly detection systems, where the myriad of client configurations and network conditions can severely impact system efficiency and detection accuracy. While existing approaches attempt to address this through individual optimization techniques, they often fail to maintain the delicate balance between reduced overhead and detection performance. This paper presents an adaptive FL framework that dynamically combines batch size optimization, client selection, and asynchronous updates to achieve efficient anomaly detection. Through extensive profiling and experimental analysis on two distinct datasets-UNSW-NBIS for general network traffic and ROAD for automotive networks-our framework reduces communication overhead by 97.6%; (from 700.0s to 16.8s) compared to synchronous baseline approaches while maintaining comparable detection accuracy (95.10%; vs. 95.12%;). Statistical validation using Mann-Whitney U test confirms significant improvements (p < 0.05) over existing FL approaches across both datasets, demonstrating the framework's adaptability to different network security contexts. Detailed profiling analysis reveals the efficiency gains through dramatic reductions in GPU operations and memory transfers while maintaining robust detection performance under varying client conditions.

Marfo, William [University of Texas at El Paso]↗