A survey of industrial control system testbeds

Abstract

Conducting security tests such as vulnerability discovery within Industrial Control Systems (ICS) help reduce their vulnerability to cyber attacks. Unfortunately, the extreme availability requirements on ICS in operation make it difficult to conduct security tests in practice. For this reason, researchers and practitioners turn to testbeds that mimic real ICS. This study surveys ICS testbeds that have been proposed for scientific research. A total of 30 testbeds are identified. Most of these aim to facilitate vulnerability analysis, education and tests of defense mechanisms. Testbed components are typically implemented as simulation models. Testbed fidelity is rarely addressed, and at best briefly discussed.