Abstract-We model smart grids as complex interdependent networks, and study targeted attacks on smart grids for the first time. A smart grid consists of two networks: the power network and the communication network, interconnected by edges. Occurrence of failures (attacks) in one network triggers failures in the other network, and propagates in cascades across the networks. Such cascading failures can result in disintegration of either (or both) of the networks. Earlier works considered only random failures. In practical situations, an attacker is more likely to compromise nodes selectively. We study cascading failures in smart grids, where an attacker selectively compromises the nodes with probabilities proportional to their degrees; high degree nodes are compromised with higher probability. We mathematically analyze the sizes of the giant components of the networks under targeted attacks, and compare the results with the corresponding sizes under random attacks. We show that networks disintegrate faster for targeted attacks compared to random attacks. A targeted attack on a small fraction of high degree nodes disintegrates one or both of the networks, whereas both the networks contain giant components for random attack on the same fraction of nodes.
A mathematical modeling of the SG as two complex interdependent networks: power and communication, interconnected by edges, enables analysis of random and selective attacks, which shows that the SG disintegrates faster for targeted attacks compared to random attacks REF .
Analyzing Cascading Failures in Smart Grids under Random and Targeted Attacks
2014 IEEE 28th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications
2014 IEEE 28th International Conference on Advanced Information Networking and Applications
Computer Science Mathematics Physics