A hardware-in-the-loop framework for remote monitoring of safety critical systems

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) testbed for remote monitoring of safety-critical systems. The testbed creates a secure environment for remote operations by establishing a communication link using open platform communication unified architecture (OPC-UA) industrial protocol resilient to cyber-attacks. The testbed uses a hypothetical Asherah nuclear power plant (Asherah NPP) by incorporating its physics, control systems, instrumentation, and communication networks to be controlled by a remote controller device, a Siemens S7 1500 programmable logic controller (PLC). The HIL capabilities of the testbed allow real-time assessment of industrial communication networks by integrating hardware, simulating data flow with malicious scripts, and identifying vulnerabilities. The testbed is particularly useful for predictive maintenance procedures and efficient operation of nuclear power plants, ultimately improving the cybersecurity of instrumentation and control systems in safety-critical applications. An internet of things (IoT)-based framework of the proposed HiL testbed for remote monitoring of safety critical systems has also been proposed at the end of the paper.