CPS-DERMS: Cyber-Physical Security and Impact Analysis of DERMS Against MITM Attacks

The growing integration of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) into modern power grids, managed via DER Management Systems (DERMS), has introduced significant cybersecurity challenges. Communication vulnerabilities in DERMS architecture create opportunities for adversarial attacks, such as Man-in-the-Middle (MITM), that intercept and manipulate critical data flows, disrupting grid operations and compromising reliability. This paper investigates MITM attacks targeting three critical nodes in DER-DERMS communication: (i) DER gateway routers, (ii) inter-router pathways, and (iii) DERMS gateway routers. To analyze these vulnerabilities, we developed CPS-DERMS, a multi-co-simulation hardware-in-the-loop testbed integrating grid-side simulations with OPAL-RT, large-scale cyber simulations using NS-3, and an indige-nous Python-based DERMS platform. The study demonstrates innovative strategies for executing MITM attacks, including maintaining payload integrity and bypassing detection mechanisms, while highlighting the critical vulnerabilities within DER-DERMS communication systems. We considered a real utility's DER-integrated distribution grid as a case study. Experimental results reveal that MITM attacks can cause overvoltages, reactive power imbalances, and increased tap-changer operations, significantly degrading power quality and grid reliability.