Distributed Agents for Power Grid Cyber-Attack Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current security solutions for electrical power grids are inefficient in detecting and responding to cyber-attacks, particularly in distributed systems, as they rely on centralized processing and are limited to identifying known threats, leading to potential congestion and inadequate security against new or unknown attacks.
Innovation Solution
A distributed system with agents throughout the electrical power grid that classify and respond to events in real-time, using a combination of hardware and software to process information autonomously and distinguish between normal and abnormal events, enabling quicker identification and mitigation of potential threats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If centralized processing is used for event detection and classification, then system complexity is reduced, but processing speed and response time deteriorate due to congestion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized processing system into distributed agents deployed throughout the electrical power grid. Each agent independently processes events in its local vicinity, segmenting the monolithic processing function into multiple smaller processing units that operate in parallel, thereby increasing processing speed while maintaining manageable complexity through standardized agent modules.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional centralized processing architecture to a multi-dimensional distributed architecture where agents are spatially distributed across the grid infrastructure. This dimensional change allows simultaneous processing of multiple events across different locations, dramatically improving throughput and response time without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
2Ease of operation
If centralized processing is used for event detection, then easier control is achieved, but response time to events deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements agents that are pre-deployed throughout the electrical power grid in strategic locations. These agents are prepared in advance to immediately detect and respond to events as they occur locally, eliminating the time delay associated with transmitting event data to a centralized processing facility and back. The preliminary positioning of processing capability at the edge of the network enables instantaneous local response.
3Measurement precision
If current security solutions are used, then known threats can be identified, but detection of unknown cyber-attacks fails and security effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements machine learning models that enable agents to autonomously learn and adapt to new cyber-attack patterns without requiring centralized reconfiguration or updates. The agents continuously analyze local event data and improve their detection capabilities over time, providing self-updating security that can identify both known threats through trained patterns and unknown threats through anomaly detection, thereby simultaneously maintaining precision and adaptability.
4Productivity
If distributed agents are deployed throughout the grid, then processing capacity increases, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs homogeneous agent modules with standardized functions, interfaces, and processing capabilities deployed throughout the grid. This homogeneity allows multiple agents to work in parallel, collectively increasing processing capacity, while the standardized nature of each agent module keeps individual component complexity manageable. The uniform architecture enables scalable deployment without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus comprising an agent (400). The agent (400) is configured to receive information (406) from an electrical power grid. The agent (400) is further configured to identify an event (408) from the information (406). The agent (400) is further configured to classify the event (408). The agent (400) is further configured to determine whether to initiate an action based on a classification of the event (408). The agent (400) is further configured to initiate the action in response to a determination to initiate the action.