NSF Award
1430728
The broader impact/commercial potential of this project is the development of an innovative cyber security solution based on Power Fingerprinting (PFP) for vulnerable wireless networking equipment and smart grid infrastructure. PFP can prevent well-funded adversaries from compromising these critical systems and operate without being discovered. The PFP monitor can assess the integrity directly on the target platforms, including those for which there is no commercial solution available. PFP can be applied to a variety of embedded platform and can coexist with traditional cyber security solutions adding an extra layer of protection in a defense-in-depth approach. These characteristics make PFP capable of detecting sophisticated attacks, such as the recent Stuxnet worm. Traditional peripheral cyber security approaches, such as anti-virus and firewalls, are being adapted for the target platforms but with limited success. PFP addresses a growing need to secure critical infrastructure, such as communications and power generation and distribution, and directly monitor their execution. PFP has dual application in the commercial and government cybersecurity markets, particularly for resource-constrained and embedded platforms. PFP has the potential to become a fundamental player in cyber-security by protecting the nation?s infrastructure and promoting further development of the economic base and employment.<br/><br/>This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase 2 project aims to demonstrate a commercial prototype of a novel cyber security solution for wireless network infrastructure and Smart Grid applications based on a novel approach called Power Fingerprinting (PFP). PFP provides integrity assessment and intrusion detection for embedded and resource-constrained platforms by using an external device to monitor side-channel information and applying signal processing techniques to determine the execution status of a processor. Due to computational resource constraints, the application of traditional cyber security solutions to the proposed target applications is very limited. Furthermore, there are no commercial solutions available capable of directly monitoring the execution and detecting intrusions in networking equipment, such as wireless routers, or control systems used in the Smart Grid. The objectives of this Phase 2 effort include: 1) Demonstrate a PFP monitor commercial prototype for wireless network and Smart Grid platforms, 2) Leverage PFP tools to enhance automatic characterization on target platforms, and 3) Integrate suitable mechanisms to improve timing synchronization. At the end of Phase 2, a blind test demonstration of the prototype PFP monitor detecting malicious intrusions will be provided and serve as the launching pad into commercialization.
