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Firmware Command and Control

Firmware Command and Control will create an agile embedded response capability foundational with baselined firmware and behaviors with bi-directional sharing of threat to upstream energy security operations

Value Proposition

  • Embedded devices control the most critical functions on the electric grid with little to no insight into the firmware or ability to mitigate from cyber attacks.
  • The adversaries have ‘raced to the bottom’ hiding access in embedded devices
  • Firmware will be baselined to detect changes with advanced ML similarity with constraints
  • Embedded host agile response
  • Structured threat sharing between the device and upstream security
  • Firmware C2 will monitor and mitigate previously unmonitored devices controlling the most critical functions in the electric grid.

Project Objectives

  • Baselined embedded firmware with all constraints for setting changes
  • Low-impact cyber operations protected/hidden from adversaries
  • Structured Threat: Visual, Sharable, Actionable, and Implementable (IT/OT)
  • Firmware C2 uses recent ML concepts to baseline firmware to detect unexplained changes, described in structured threat for bi-direction upstream energy security operations actions and awareness.

Project Quick Facts

Topic ID: 5.1.1
Status: New

Technical Project Team

  • Lead

    Rita Foster, INL

  • Bryce McClurg,
    INL
  • Bradley Whipple,
    INL
  • Nate Evans,
    ANL
  • Chris Lamb,
    SNL
  • Maurice Martin,
    NREL

Project Partners

Southern California Edison (SCE)
Detroit Edison
Eaton/CYME
Forescout
Oakland University
Naval Post Graduate School
Purdue
Siemens
Rockwell Automation

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