Securing Control Systems from the Inside: A Case for Mediating Physical Behaviors

Attackers can leverage security vulnerabilities in computerized control systems to cause real, physical harm. Despite efforts to fix control system security flaws, the advantage remains with attackers due to the increasing complexity and connectivity of modern control systems. A complementary approach to closing security holes is to directly mediate the physical behavior of control systems, thus preventing dangerous actions even when systems are under adversary influence. Behavioral mediation is a promising direction for control system security, but it presents many challenges to becoming a practical reality.