Theoretical and Applied Cybersecurity

Stealthy cyberattacks on control systems using an adaptive soft-constrained optimization method

2025-06-24T10:26:23+00:00

This paper presents a novel approach for designing stealthy cyberattacks on automated control systems of critical infrastructure. The core idea lies in employing an adaptive soft-constrained optimization method, which simultaneously maximizes the impact functional of the attacker while keeping the attacked trajectory within the invisibility range of a standard fault detection mechanism. The proposed approach is based on a variational problem formulation, the construction of adjoint equations, and a gradient-based procedure with dynamic penalty parameter updates. Numerical simulation is conducted on a second-order test dynamic system. The results demonstrate the algorithm's effectiveness and convergence, as well as the feasibility of generating a controlled attack that successfully bypasses WLS-based detection methods. The method can be used to test the resilience of industrial systems to cyber threats through security scenario modeling.

Modeling competing artificial intelligence systems for energy and users

2025-05-16T12:31:34+00:00

The article addresses the problem of modeling competition between two artificial intelligence systems (AI-1 and AI-2) that interact within a shared environment under limited resources such as users and energy. The study focuses on analyzing the strategic behavior and adaptability of these systems, as well as their impact on competitive outcomes through mathematical models and methods, including differential equations, the Lancaster model, and Boyd cycles (OODA-loop). Special attention is given to formalizing the interaction of systems using basic primitives ("Condition," "Loop," "Function") and their compositions, enabling the description of complex behavioral strategies of AI systems. The paper presents a detailed mathematical formalization of the dynamics of user and energy distribution between systems, taking into account factors such as user satisfaction, response accuracy, query processing speed, and energy efficiency. The research also includes numerical calculations and simulations demonstrating how initial conditions and system parameters influence competitiveness. The proposed models can be applied for predicting AI system behavior in real-world scenarios such as information campaigns, cyber conflicts, and resource optimization in digital environments.

LoRaWAN network security and efficiency: practical tips and recommendations

2025-02-20T15:06:01+00:00

Актуальність дослідження полягає в тому, що у сучасному світі, підхід Інтернет речей IoT (Internet of Things – IoT) набуває все більшого поширення, а технологія LoRaWAN (Long Range Wide Area Network) є однією з ключових для побудови LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) мереж, що забезпечують зв'язок на великій відстані з низьким енергоспоживанням. Зростаюча популярність LoRaWAN зумовлює необхідність забезпечення безпеки передачі даних, стійкості до атак та оптимізації параметрів мережі для досягнення максимальної ефективності.

Для досягнення поставленої мети дослідження використано комплексний методологічний підхід, який включає аналіз існуючих рішень та рекомендацій щодо безпеки та оптимізації LoRaWAN мережі та обладнання. Важливим елементом дослідження є вивчення актуальної документації LoRa Alliance, яка містить детальний опис найкращих практик та підходів до використання LoRaWAN. Ця документація базується на практичному досвіді, отриманому LoRa Alliance від користувачів мережі та операторів, що дозволяє врахувати різноманітні аспекти використання технології та забезпечити її ефективність та безпеку. Дослідження також включає аналіз наукових публікацій та практичного досвіду користувачів для отримання більш глибокого розуміння проблем та можливостей LoRaWAN.

Основною метою дослідження була розробка рекомендацій та практичних рішень щодо підвищення безпеки передачі даних, стійкості до атак на LoRaWAN мережу, оптимізації швидкості передачі даних та налаштувань обладнання (кінцевий пристрій користувача та LoRaWAN Gateway), а також забезпечення відповідності рекомендаціям LoRa Alliance на основі аналізу існуючих рішень. Завданням є використання LoRaWAN мережі відповідно до офіційних рекомендацій LoRa Alliance що задовільняють усім сучасним вимогам та викликам безпеки.

Дослідження показали, що ефективне використання LoRaWAN потребує комплексного підходу до забезпечення безпеки, який включає використання сучасних методів шифрування, аутентифікації та авторизації, а також постійний моніторинг та аналіз трафіку мережі для виявлення та запобігання можливим загрозам. Оптимізація швидкості передачі даних досягається шляхом правильного налаштування параметрів обладнання, вибору оптимальної швидкості передачі та врахування особливостей конкретного застосування.

Дотримання рекомендацій від LoRa Alliance у побудові та використанні LoRaWAN є критично важливим для забезпечення сумісності обладнання різних виробників, досягнення високої якості зв'язку та забезпечення безпеки мережі.

A method for assessing risk with accounting for the structure of threat and vulnerability relationships in a complex system

2025-05-13T15:45:46+00:00

The article presents a novel approach to risk assessment in complex information systems, which takes into account the structural relationships between threats, vulnerabilities, and system components. The primary focus is on developing a formalized model that enables the construction of a simplicial complex of dependencies among potential threats and vulnerabilities, as well as identifying their impact pathways on the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of the system. The use of a simplicial complex model is proposed to represent these interconnections and to determine critical nodes that are most vulnerable to compound attacks. The methodology allows for quantitative risk evaluation by calculating threat levels, the probabilities of vulnerability exploitation, and their impact on the system. A key feature of the approach is the consideration of not only individual vulnerabilities but also their interactions, which significantly enhances the accuracy of risk assessment. The results of modeling and applied analysis confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in identifying the most critical security elements and in justifying protection priorities under limited resource conditions. The proposed method can be integrated into information security management systems to improve the protection level of complex technical infrastructures.

Estimation of the Probability of Success of a Suppression Attack

2025-06-10T22:03:27+00:00

This work presents the results of research on suppression attacks, which are a specific case of frontrunning attacks. We provide a formal step-by-step algorithm for executing the attack, along with a mathematical model and explicit analytical formulas for calculating an upper bound on the success probability of such an attack with numerical examples.
This study continues the research presented in [1], which investigated insertion and displacement attacks.

Mitigating the impact of cyber attacks suach a load altering attacks

2025-04-25T14:27:01+00:00

Modern power systems are constantly exposed to cyberattacks that threaten to disable them and cause serious damage and even destruction. The cyber threat factor is nowadays on a par with such traditional threats as natural disasters, fires, and other destructive phenomena. Therefore, cyber threats raise the question of considering protection against them as a factor of power system sustainability necessary for survival, which should now be considered in the context of cyber resilience. This paper considers the issue of finding a solution to mitigate the harmful effects on the power system of one of the types of cyberattacks, namely, Load Altering Attacks (LAA). The danger of such an attack is that, taking advantage of the weak protection of a large number of IoT clients, an attacker can conduct a coordinated attack on a large number of compromised clients and suddenly change the load in the power grid. As a result, not only users will suffer, but also the basic equipment of the power grid itself, in particular, power generators. This paper proposes a solution that, by optimizing the regulator mode of the power generator, can significantly mitigate the harmful effects of LAA attacks.

Refined Method of Impossible Differentials Search with Application to Kalyna-Like Ciphers

2025-06-11T11:30:04+00:00

This work addresses the problem of evaluating the security of block ciphers against impossible differential cryptanalysis, with a particular focus on Kalyna-like ciphers. Based on formalized methods—specifically the Wu-Wang method—this work introduces refined rules tailored to AES- and Kalyna-like ciphers. These refinements simplify compatibility checks by replacing large systems of linear equations with computationally efficient conditions. Experimental results have identified several classes of impossible differentials for three-round versions of certain Kalyna cipher variants, thereby demonstrating the security of full-round ciphers against this method of cryptanalysis.

Image steganography – classic and promising methods: a study

2025-04-29T15:57:55+00:00

Steganography, the art and science of hiding information within digital media, remains a dynamic and increasingly vital discipline in the age of pervasive digital communication and cybersecurity threats. Images, in particular, serve as highly adaptable carriers for covert data due to their ubiquity and rich payload capacity. This paper presents a comprehensive classification of image-based steganographic techniques, surveying both time-tested methods (e.g., LSB modification, wavelet transform) and cutting-edge approaches. We highlight how artificial intelligence—through deep learning models, generative adversarial networks, and AI-driven compression/enhancement—can greatly improve embedding robustness and evasion of detection. Furthermore, we explore the nascent frontier of quantum steganography, leveraging superposition, entanglement, and quantum key distribution to achieve unprecedented levels of security. Finally, we outline promising research directions that fuse classical methods with next-generation AI and quantum technologies, setting the agenda for the next wave of advances in secure information hiding.

Lightweight Cryptography in UAV systems

2025-04-14T12:58:18+00:00

The development and adoption of lightweight cryptographic algorithms have become increasingly important due to the growing volume of data transmitted by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and other unmanned systems. These systems demand security solutions that are both efficient and resource-conscious. Lightweight cryptography offers a promising balance of performance, low energy consumption, and implementation simplicity. In this paper, we present the first comparative analysis specifically focused on lightweight cryptographic algorithms for UAVs, assessing their suitability for real-time control and data protection in resource-constrained environments. A key contribution of our work is a practical experiment measuring processor load, memory usage, and energy consumption of selected algorithms on drone hardware. The results provide a clear evaluation of each algorithm’s effectiveness and efficiency under realistic operating conditions.

Intrusion detecting systems and blockchain technology

2025-02-04T15:47:17+00:00

In this article, the information about intrusion detection systems and intrusion prevention systems was analyzed. General information, differences, main advantages and disadvantages of intrusion detection and prevention systems were described.

The blockchain technology was analyzed as well. The main information on the blockchain technology was shown: the history of creation, sphere of application, working principle, potential threats and specifics of consensus mechanism.

Based on the information given, it is planned to apply the blockchain technology in intrusion detection systems to increase the level of security.

Construction of secure direct communication protocols in the topological quantum computing model

2025-06-09T16:31:16+00:00

This paper presents an implementation of the six-state quantum key distribution protocol and the
LM05 quantum secure direct communication protocol based on anyonic systems. We consider the
representation of logical qubits and operations of the protocol through the manipulation of abelian
anyons of the Kitaev model and non-abelian Fibonacci anyons. A comparative analysis of the anyonic
implementations with the classical photonic approach is carried out in terms of key characteristics such
as accuracy, stability, and complexity. The advantages and experimental challenges of anyonic platforms
for quantum information exchange are discussed.

A Review of modern methods for steganalysis and localization of embedded data in digital images

2025-04-28T15:46:24+00:00

The article provides a systematic review of modern steganalysis methods for digital images based on artificial neural networks. The primary stages of development of advanced cover-image models, from widely used artificial neural networks to contemporary hybrid models, are considered. Advantages and limitations of various types of neural networks for constructing stegodetectors for digital images are investigated. Based on comparative analysis of steganalysis accuracy, it is established that the use of advanced artificial neural networks achieves a detection accuracy of steganograms exceeding 90%, even at low embedding rates (less than 20%). Additionally, applying complex methods of processing both examined images, and feature vectors in multidimensional spaces with studied neural networks allows reducing the computational complexity of configuring stegodetectors without significant losses in stego images detection accuracy.