Security of grid structures under disguised traffic attacks

Models of rectangular grid structures were constructed in the form of a colored Petri net. The basic model consists of a matrix of switching nodes that deliver packets to computing nodes which are attached to the matrix borders and produce and consume packets. Since grid structures are often employed to solve boundary value problems, square and torus surfaces were studied and generalized to hypercube and hypertorus in multidimensional space using a grid node that aggregates switching and computing nodes. Traffic guns were added to the models to represent traffic attacks. Simulation in CPN Tools revealed simple and dangerous traffic gun configurations, such as a traffic duel, focus, crossfire, and side shot, which bring the grid to complete deadlock at less than 5 % of the grid peak load. Comparably low gun intensity targeted to induce deadlock areas within a grid (network) is a key characteristic of disguised traffic attacks. The aim of future work will be to develop counter-measures for these attacks.