Guest Editorial: Security and Privacy of Cyber-Physical System

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) serve as the backbone of critical infrastructure, seamlessly integrating computation, networking and physical processes. However, the growing interconnectivity of these systems also increases their exposure to sophisticated cyber threats. Ensuring the security and privacy of CPS is crucial to maintaining operational stability, preventing service disruptions and mitigating cascading failures.

This Special Issue presents cutting-edge research addressing diverse aspects of CPS security, ranging from attack methodologies to vulnerability assessments and resilience strategies. The selected papers provide insights into real-time attack implementations, advanced analytics using graph theory, multi-stage cyber threat scenarios and socio-technical security modelling.

In this Special Issue, we have received 7 papers, all of which underwent peer review. Of the six originally submitted papers, four have been accepted and two have been ‘rejected with referral’, that is, they did not meet the criteria for publication to the IET Cyber-Physical Systems: Theory & Applications, and on. Thus, the overall submissions were of high quality, which marks the success of this Special Issue.

The four eventually accepted papers can be categorised into four key themes: (1) cyber-physical attack modelling and system vulnerability, (2) graph-based cyber-physical system security analysis, (3) multi-stage cyber threats and impact assessment and (4) socio-technical security modelling for cyber-physical systems.

Yadav et al. investigate the impact of sliding mode-based switching attacks on power system components. By leveraging real-time simulation techniques, the study highlights how cyber-attacks on circuit breakers, excitation systems and governors can lead to cascading failures. The results offer valuable insights into the vulnerabilities of power grids and the need for proactive mitigation measures.

Jacobs et al. introduce a novel graph clustering approach for analysing cyber-physical interactions in smart grid environments. The study demonstrates how clustering techniques can help characterise disturbances, identify critical system components and enhance situational awareness. These findings pave the way for improved cybersecurity strategies by enabling better detection and response mechanisms.

Al Homoud et al. present an in-depth case study on a multi-stage cyber threat targeting power systems. The research details how cyber intrusions can escalate, leading to severe physical consequences in the grid. By leveraging the MITRE ATT&CK framework, the authors propose defence strategies that enhance the resilience of cyber-physical energy management systems.

Ani et al. explore socio-technical security modelling and simulation (STSec-M&S) in cyber-physical systems (CPS) to enhance critical infrastructure (CI) cybersecurity, emphasising its potential for integrating technical and social aspects to improve system understanding and risk management while addressing barriers like complexity, high costs and data limitations through holistic models, realistic data and cross-sector collaboration.

The research featured in this Special Issue underscores the growing complexity of cyber threats in CPS environments. The integration of real-time attack simulations, graph-based security analysis, multi-stage threat modelling and socio-technical security modelling provides a comprehensive perspective on CPS security. Future research should focus on AI-driven threat detection, quantum-secure communication protocols and adaptive defence mechanisms to counter evolving cyber threats.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.