Detecting unpredictable adversaries in the industrial network with blockchain

A cyber-physical system (CPS) is integral to Industry 4.0 and beyond, depending heavily on the Internet of Things (IoT). CPS can be related to Industrial Control Systems, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, and automation - collectively termed industrial cyber-physical systems (ICPSs). Because of their critical role and requirement of all-time availability, the safety of devices, processes, and workflows in ICPS require a resilient communication setup for safer data exchange. ICPS combines physical and computational systems through sophisticated networking controlled through internal decision modules. Issues related to external and insider threats are most prominent in ICPS because of their large-scale critical deployment and devolved network infrastructure. These threats are scaled up if the nature and the type of adversary are unknown, and such unpredictable adversaries are challenging to detect. With the motivation of controlling unexpected adversaries, this chapter discusses the security of ICPS from digital warfare and vandalism points of view, particularly looking towards network-initiated activities. Furthermore, challenges associated with detecting unpredictable adversaries are listed, followed by scenario-specific simulated discussions on impact and event validation, highlighting the adoption of blockchain and research opportunities for securing future Industrial IoT networks.