Anas Al Majali Home Page
Email:
almajali@usc.edu
Advisor:
Prof. Clifford
Neuman
PhD
Start Date: Spring 2009
Estimated
Graduation: Fall 2013
M.S. in
Computer Engineering: 2007-2008
University of Southern California
B.S. in
Computer Engineering: 2001-2005
Research
Title: Smart Grid Security
Research
Summary:
Smart
Grids are widely spread distributed systems that used to have their own private
proprietary networks, protocols and devices. However, the Smart Grid
controlling the power grid started utilizing public networks and standard
protocols in order to enhance services provided (e.g. home automation) and reduce the cost of
deployment. This new modernized Smart Grid is facing new cyber security
challenges that might affect human safety, Smart Grid reliability and customer
privacy. Anas Al Majali Ph. D. research focuses on
designing a Smart Grid where security is taken into consideration as part of
the system architecture. To achieve this goal, Anas is currently working on
modeling and simulating the Smart Grid on DETER
testbed at the Information Science Institute (ISI). By modeling and simulating the Smart
Grid on DETER, researchers will be able to know what attack scenarios can
achieve any kind of service disruption. Assessing the vulnerabilities of the
Smart Grid can be done by determining the components that can be compromised to
penetrate the system then constructing attack trees to assess the
vulnerabilities of those components. After modeling and simulating the system,
a Smart Grid that takes security into consideration as part of system
architecture can be built.
