During the CIGRE Paraguay workshop, CONPROVE presented a technical demonstration focused on cybersecurity validation in digital power environments, with controlled attack scenarios designed to test the reaction of supervision, control, and protection systems.
The demonstration included several threat vectors, such as network reconnaissance via sniffing, duplicated GOOSE messages for circuit breaker control, malformed GOOSE messages, PTP synchronization interference through an internal clock, and network saturation attacks with flooding and SV stream overload on both station and process buses. These scenarios made it possible to evaluate, in a practical way, how the system responds under adverse and realistic conditions that can compromise operational integrity.
After the cybersecurity mitigation measures were applied, the tests were repeated and the attacks were successfully neutralized. The results reinforced a key principle for the power sector: protecting digital systems is not only about architecture, but also about proper configuration, fast response, and continuous field validation.
The experience at the event highlighted the importance of objectively assessing cyber resilience in digital substations and testing, in a controlled environment, the barriers that preserve operational reliability. Beyond identifying vulnerabilities, the demonstration showed how the correct implementation of security measures can reduce risk and strengthen the continuity of critical processes.
CONPROVE thanks CIGRE Paraguay, Carolina, Gustavo, and Aldo for their partnership, technical support, and for the opportunity to take part in such a relevant initiative for the advancement of cybersecurity in the power sector.
