C3D device protects grid against cyberattacks

During a recent live demonstration at INL's Critical Infrastructure Test Range Complex, the Constrained Cyber Communication Device (C3D) was tested against a series of remote access attempts indicative of a cyberattack. The device alerted operators to the abnormal commands and blocked them automatically, preventing the attacks from accessing and damaging critical power grid components.

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"Protecting our critical infrastructure from foreign adversaries is a key component in the department's national security posture," said Patricia Hoffman, acting assistant secretary for the US Department of Energy. "It's accomplishments like this that expand our efforts to strengthen our electric system against threats while mitigating vulnerabilities.”

The C3D device was designed and demonstrated by a team from Idaho National Laboratory and New Mexico-based Visgence Inc. C3D uses advanced communication capabilities to autonomously review and filter commands being sent to relay devices, which are designed to rapidly command breakers to turn off the flow of electricity when a disturbance is detected. Relays are not, however, designed to block the speed and stealth of a cyberattack.