IoT Cyber-Physical Attack Path Modeling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The proliferation of Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices poses security and privacy concerns due to a lack of effective security mechanisms, making it difficult to identify vulnerabilities and determine the impact of changes in network architecture, such as the addition of new devices, in IoT networks.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for modeling cyber and physical interactions between IoT devices, using sniffers to determine operating characteristics, generate network models, and identify uncharacteristic interaction paths, thereby assessing vulnerabilities and providing security metrics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of IoT devices in the network increases, then the functionality and coverage of the network improves, but the difficulty of identifying vulnerabilities and assessing security increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex IoT network into individual device profiles, each with specific operating characteristics, interaction patterns, and vulnerability attributes. This segmentation allows security assessment to be performed on manageable units rather than the entire network at once, resolving the contradiction between network scale and vulnerability detection difficulty
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary security assessment system that mediates between the growing number of IoT devices and the vulnerability identification process. This intermediary automatically collects operating characteristics, models interaction paths, and identifies vulnerabilities, making the assessment process scalable despite increasing network size
2Reliability
If security mechanisms are added to IoT devices, then the security level improves, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary security assessment system that operates externally to IoT devices to provide security functionality without adding complexity to the devices themselves. The system models device interactions and identifies vulnerabilities at the network level rather than requiring embedded security mechanisms in each device
Solution Approach 2:
The security assessment system enables IoT devices to effectively secure themselves by automatically collecting their operating characteristics, modeling their interaction patterns, and identifying their specific vulnerabilities without requiring the devices to have built-in security mechanisms. Each device's security profile is self-generated through automated monitoring and analysis
3Adaptability or versatility
If the network architecture changes by adding new devices, then the network functionality improves, but the security impact becomes harder to determine
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary security assessment by modeling the network architecture and identifying potential vulnerability paths before new devices are added. When devices are added, the system updates the existing models to predict security impact in advance, rather than waiting for attacks to occur
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor network interactions and update security models when architecture changes occur. The system compares actual interactions against modeled expectations to identify new vulnerability paths created by added devices, maintaining current security information despite network evolution
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and system for determining a weakness or risk for devices of an Internet-of-things (IoT) network include determining a representation of a physical environment of the IoT network and expected physical and cyber interactions between the devices of the IoT network based at least in part on operating characteristics of the devices of the IoT network, monitoring the physical environment and actual interactions between the devices to generate a network model including at least one of uncharacteristic physical or cyber interaction paths between the devices, based on the determined network model, determining at least one weakness or risk of at least one of the IoT network or of at least one of the devices, and providing a metric of security of at least one of the IoT network or of at least one of the devices based on at least one of the determined weakness or risk.