Solid State Circuit Breaker Tamper Detection and Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need to detect and mitigate unauthorized access and tampering with solid state circuit breakers (SSCBs) to prevent cyber and physical security breaches, especially in electrical power distribution systems, which can lead to malicious control of power supply and potential power outages.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a breach detection mechanism to alert users of unauthorized attempts, generating physical security logs, and disabling remote access to SSCBs upon detection of breaches, ensuring the circuit breakers operate in local control mode only, thereby preventing unauthorized control and potential power disruptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If remote control functionality is added to circuit breakers, then ease of operation and productivity are improved, but vulnerability to unauthorized access and tampering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary security verification before allowing remote control operations. The controller checks authentication credentials and authorization levels in advance, preventing unauthorized access before it can affect circuit breaker operations. This resolves the contradiction by enabling remote control while pre-establishing security barriers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary security layer between the remote user and the circuit breaker. This includes authentication servers, encryption protocols, and verification mechanisms that mediate all remote control commands, allowing ease of operation while filtering out unauthorized access attempts.
2Productivity
If circuit breakers are equipped with control circuitry for electronic control, then productivity and ease of operation are improved, but susceptibility to tampering and destruction increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by implementing tamper detection mechanisms that proactively identify and respond to tampering attempts before they can compromise the control circuitry. Sensors detect physical interference, environmental changes, or unauthorized modifications and trigger protective responses such as locking down the controller or alerting security systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the control circuitry continuously monitors its own operational parameters, physical state, and environmental conditions. This feedback loop enables the system to detect anomalies indicating tampering and automatically adjust its behavior to maintain reliability, such as disabling remote access or triggering alarms.
3Ease of operation
If circuit breakers are made remotely controllable with communication links, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of malicious control and power outages increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication and authorization checks before executing any remote control commands. The controller verifies the identity and permissions of remote users in advance, ensuring that only authorized individuals can control the circuit breaker. This prevents malicious control while maintaining ease of operation for legitimate users.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary security mechanisms including authentication servers, encrypted communication channels, and command validation layers that mediate between remote users and the circuit breaker. These intermediaries filter and verify all communications, allowing remote accessibility while blocking malicious control attempts.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for hardware tamper detection and mitigation for a circuit breaker. The method includes detecting and mitigating a breach to a circuit breaker of an electrical power management system, wherein the circuit breaker includes a housing, an electrical circuit, and switch coupled to and controllable by the electrical circuit. An alert identifying a detected breach event at the circuit breaker is generated and transmitted to a computing device. The circuit breaker device experiencing the detected breach event is disabled in response to the alert. An electrical power management system includes a plurality of circuit breakers each having a breach detector coupled to an electrical circuit, and a switch coupled to and controllable by the electrical circuit. A circuit breaker controller controls the state of the circuit breaker as determined by the breach detector.