The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has revolutionized industries by enabling advanced automation and enhancing data processing capabilities. In addition, using wireless technology in IIoT offers numerous benefits such as flexibility, resilience, scalability, and mobility. However, the increasing connectivity and wireless communications associated with IIoT make processes more vulnerable to cyberattacks. To address this issue, we built a testbed with multiple wireless protocols to evaluate the security of IIoT devices and wireless networks. The testbed allows for identifying and assessing security vulnerabilities and developing and evaluating mitigation strategies, thereby directly impacting the security of wireless systems in IIoT.
Our research began with an extensive review of essential standards and protocols in the IIoT field. We then applied this knowledge to create a unique compatibility stack, including both wired and wireless protocols, that can be directly used by system designers in selecting the most appropriate communication protocols for IIoT applications. While our findings demonstrate the increasing adoption of wireless technologies, they also highlight the fact that very few testbeds cover wireless protocols, and even fewer consider their security aspects.
Our testbed utilized a variety of communication methods prevalent in the industry, such as Modbus, Profinet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WirelessHART, and LoRaWAN. The testbed was placed inside a Faraday cage to avoid any unwanted interference to outside world from security tests. Amazon Web Services were utilized for the cloud infrastructure, incorporating critical services such as AWS IoT SiteWise, AWS IoT Greengrass, and AWS IoT Core. In addition to the current use of a broadband internet connection, we plan to expand the testbed to include 5G cellular networks for remote communications.
We are simulating several potential attack scenarios, including well-known attacks like the Mirai Botnet and attacks specified for wireless such as wireless signal analyzer and smart selective jamming attacks. These simulations are enhancing our understanding and helping us improve the security measures for IIoT devices and wireless networks.
The IIoT testbed we built provides a strong foundation for understanding vulnerabilities and developing effective mitigation strategies that enhance the security and resilience of wireless IIoT systems against evolving cyber threats.