# A Simple Experimental Stand for Studying the Network Security Level of Power Electronic Devices
## 2 Types of Cyber-Attacks and Vulnerabilities Applicable to Power Electronic Devices
### Attacks Specific to PEDs
#### 2.2.2 Attacks Aimed at Taking Control of the PED or Modifying the Information Exchange  
**Eavesdropping:** this is an attack in which the information exchanged between the PED and the control and management center is eavesdropped/monitored--Figure 4. In this attack, the exchanged information is not changed, only collected, and can be copied to a specific server. This type of attack can be divided into two types:  
Passive eavesdropping: the exchanged information is only monitored, not collected;  
Active eavesdropping: the exchanged information is collected by specially designed programs and devices. The collected information is then recorded or forwarded to a dedicated server.  
Then the collected information can be analyzed and used at a later stage for hacking the PED.  
**Man in the Middle attack:** in this attack, another device or the attacker himself is placed between two communicating devices (the PED and the Control center), which secretly redirects or modifies information between these devices while they are connected.  
Figure 4: Example of an eavesdropping attack.  
Figure 3: Botnet attack.  
Thus, instead of information being exchanged between the two trusted devices, the information passes through the attacker. There are different types of MITM:  
* **Session hijacking**: in this type of MITM attack, the attacker redirects the session to establish a connection between the two devices. The attacking device replaces its IP address with that of the Control center and the PED starts exchanging data with the attacking device instead of with the Control center. An example of a MITM session hijacking attack is an active eavesdropping. During this attack the attacker makes independent connections to the two devices, the PED and the Control center. It starts sending messages between them to make them believe they are connected directly to each other, when in fact the entire session is being controlled by the attacker. The attacker can now intercept any messages that pass between the two devices as well as insert new messages into the session--Figure 5.
* **IP Spoofing:*
* IP spoofing is the creation of packets with a false source IP address in order to impersonate another computer system, network or device. This type of attack can be used to \"convince\" the PED that it is communicating with the monitoring and control center. So, the attacker grants access to the PED. The attack is carried out as follows: the attacking device sends a packet with a known, secure IP address instead of its real IP address. Thus, the PED accepts this address and starts exchanging data with the attacking device thinking it is secure--Figure 6.
* **Replay attack:*
* in this attack valid data transmission is repeated or delayed in a malicious or fraudulent manner. For example, the attacker has intercepted the data between the PED and the control and monitoring center. It then retransmits them, potentially causing unauthorized actions or gaining access. This attack exploits the lack of proper authentication mechanisms in protocols, making this attack a significant threat to data integrity and security. The attack is characterized by two stages. The first stage is interception. The attacker intercepts a valid data transmission between the  
Figure 5: Session hijacking attack.  
Figure 6: IP spoofing attack.  
PED and the control and monitoring center. This could be, for example, a login/access session to the PED. The second stage is re-transmission--the attacker re-sends the intercepted data to the PED, making it look like a legitimate message from the original sender. This can trick the PED into taking action based on the reused data--Figure 7.  
False data injection attack: in this attack, the hacked PED can be made to send incorrect data. For example, an attacker has hacked a smart meter. As a result, the meter starts reading incorrectly, which may result in paying higher bills or reporting no energy consumed.