Cybersecurity of Discrete Event Systems

This book describes analysis and control against smart cyberattacks in discrete event systems (DES). This is the first technical DES book to provide a thorough introduction to smart cyberattacks on supervisory control systems modelled by regular languages or finite-state automata and possible resilient defence methods against smart cyberattacks.

"Smart attacks" cannot be detected by the supervisor until an irreversible process toward ensured damage occurs. An attack may be conducted either in the observation channel (i.e., the supervisor?s input of the supervisor) or in the command channel (i.e., the supervisor?s output) or both simultaneously. Therefore, defence strategies against these attacks are urgently needed. Rong Su provides a comprehensive overview of the latest theories and includes empirical examples to illustrate concepts and methods. By centering on what information is available and how such information is used, the readers are provided with methods to evaluate the cyber vulnerability of a given system and design a resilient supervisor against relevant smart attacks. This book comprises two sections. Firstly, Su introduces the required concepts and techniques related to DES and supervisory control. Then he introduces different types of smart attacks that intercept and manipulate information in sensor and command channels in a standard closed-loop control system. Secondly, he presents resilient defence strategies against relevant types of attacks.

By focusing on a conceptual introduction and systematic analysis, this book provides a solid theoretical foundation for future exploration by researchers and graduate students who are interested in cybersecurity research, not necessarily limited to those in the DES community. To illustrate the practical relevance of this research, realistic examples are used throughout this book. Readers are recommended to have a background in formal language theory.

?This book gives an invaluable guide to cybersecurity in discrete event systems, from modeling and synthesis of cyberattacks to design of resilient supervisors. A must-read for researchers and students, this book seamlessly blends resilient supervisors with smart attackers, starting a new and comprehensive approach to one of the most challenge problems in cybersecurity.?

- Prof Feng Lin, Wayne State University, Fellow of IEEE

?This book provides a timely and systematic analysis for smart attacks and resilience for better cyber security from the perspective of discrete-events and provides excellent theoretical insights on how smart attacks might leverage on existing supervisory control logics to inflict damage to systems without being detected easily, and how such attacks could be prevented by properly designed supervisory controls. Enjoy your reading and digestion of the first, interesting and inspiring monograph on cybersecurity research!?

- Prof Sam Shuzhi Ge, National University of Singapore, Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of IFAC, Fellow of IET

?This book provides comprehensive coverage of a framework for modelling cyber-attacks and developing defence (as well as attack!) strategies in the context of discrete event systems. Rong Su, who has been working on discrete event systems for more than two decades, provides an elegant description of the recent work of his group on discrete event system cybersecurity. Well motivated and quite thorough exposition, ranging from smart sensor attacks to resilient supervisory control strategies! I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in cybersecurity aspects in finite state dynamic systems.?

-Prof Christoforos Hadjicostis, University of Cyprus, Fellow of IEEE

?Cybersecurity is no doubt one of the most important subjects and has been affecting everyone on this planet on a daily basis. This book provides a nice introduction to this subject in the framework of discrete event systems (DES), addressing smart cyberattacks and suitable/effective defense techniques against them. It presents mathematically rigorous concepts, methods, and theory as well as many practically useful algorithms for this complex and important subject.  The insights provided in the book are expected to benefit researchers and practitioners not only in the DES community but also in much broader  communities of control, communication, networking and cyber-physical systems. Hence, I highly recommend this book to all who have a genuine interest in cybersecurity.?

- Prof Mengchu Zhou, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of IFAC, Fellow of AAAS, Fellow of CAA, Fellow of NAI

"This excellent book introduces a comprehensive array of formal approaches essential for cybersecurity analysis and defense, drawing inspiration from the cutting-edge theoretical advancements in discrete event systems."

- Prof Alessandro Giua, University of Cagliari (Italy), Fellow of IEEE, Fellow of IFAC