Hydropower and Dam Cybersecurity: Protection and Monitoring Using Next Generation Data Diodes (Phase II)

Hydropowerĺs importance in the transition to clean energy sources continues to increase, but the Nationĺs aging dam and hydropower infrastructure requires technological modernization to ensure increased efficiency and reliability in the face of a shrinking maintenance workforce. Market pressures to connect critical industrial control systems to cloud-based applications open up new vulnerabilities for cyberattack, ransomware, and malware, putting American livelihood at risk. To physically blocks cyberattacks on critical infrastructure with US-made, low-cost industrial data diodes that enable secure, remote monitoring of critical hydropower assets. These devices extract data out operational technology (OT) systems and put it into the hands of operators in a physically-enforced, one-way fashion. This project will adapt data diode technology with capabilities to serve the unique needs of the hydropower and dam fleet and provide rapidly deployable cyber defenses for users like the US Bureau of Reclamation and private operators. The goal is to commercialize the technology to cost-effectively serve a broader set of cybersecurity needs of the dam and hydropower community. The team will adapt low-cost industrial data diode technology for the hydropower and dam sector. The first goal is to enhance the hardware to capture and transmit key performance data and indicators of cyber compromise. The second key goal is to provides robust cellular communications that reach remote, rural locations. These enhancements strengthen the defenses of hydropower and dam infrastructure while making it physically impossible for an outside attacker to inject malware and ransomware or physically disable industrial assets. The team met project objectives on schedule and demonstrated technical feasibility. The team interviewed hydropower stakeholders, developed hardware and firmware prototypes, and tested devices at field sites including an active hydropower facility in Oregon. The team will enhance data diodes with expanded cellular capabilities, increasing data speeds by some 20x. The team will develop firmware to enable rapid deployment though expanded protocol support and integration with real-time monitoring platforms. Commercialization of the technology by the end of Phase II allows for safe monitoring of decades-old hydropower equipment and detection cyber threats lurking within critical infrastructure. The technology could also enhance security of the water treatment, electric distribution, transportation, and manufacturing sectors. Managers of critical infrastructure will be able to safely use AI to analyze performance data while protected by a physical cybersecurity barrier.