The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into water supply systems (WSSs) has revolutionized real-time monitoring, automated operational control, and predictive decision-making analytics. However, AI also introduces security vulnerabilities, such as data poisoning. In this context, data poisoning could involve the malicious manipulation of critical data, including water quality parameters, flow rates, and chemical composition levels. The consequences of such threats are significant, potentially jeopardizing public safety and health due to decisions being made based on poisoned data. This thesis aims to exploit these vulnerabilities in data-driven applications within WSSs. Proposing Water Generative Adversarial Networks, H2OGAN, a time-series GAN-based model designed to synthesize water data. H2OGAN produces water data based on the characteristics within the expected constraints of water data cardinality. This generative model serves multiple purposes, including data augmentation, anomaly detection, risk assessment, cost-effectiveness, predictive model optimization, and understanding complex patterns within water systems. Experiments are conducted in AI and Cyber for Water and Agriculture (ACWA) Lab, a cyber-physical water testbed that generates datasets replicating both operational and adversarial scenarios in WSSs. Identifying adversarial scenarios is particularly importance due to their potential to compromise water security. The datasets consist of 10 physical incidents, including normal conditions, sensor anomalies, and malicious attacks. A recurrent neural network (RNN) model, i.e., gated recurrent unit (GRU), is used to classify and capture the temporal dynamics those events. Subsequently, experiments with real-world data from Alexandria Renew Enterprises (AlexRenew), a wastewater treatment plant in Alexandria, Virginia, are conducted to assess the effectiveness of H2OGAN in real-world applications. / Master of Science / Today, a significant portion of the global population struggles with access to essential services: 25% lack clean water, 50% lack sanitation services, and 30% lack hygiene facilities. In response, AI is being leveraged to tackle these deficiencies within water supply systems. Investments in AI are expected to reach an estimated $6.3 billion by 2030, with potential savings of 20% to 30% in operational expenditures by optimizing chemical usage in water treatment. The flexibility and efficiency of AI applications have fueled optimism about their potential to revolutionize water management.
As the era of Industry 4.0 progresses, the role of AI in transforming critical infrastructures, including water supply systems, becomes increasingly vital. However, this technological integration brings with it heightened vulnerabilities. The water sector, recognized as one of the 16 critical infrastructures by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), has seen a notable increase in cyberattack incidents. These attacks underscore the urgent need for sophisticated AI-driven security solutions to protect these essential systems against potential compromises that could pose significant public health risks.
Addressing these challenges, this thesis introduces H2OGAN, a time-series GAN-based model developed to generate and analyze realistic water data within the expected constraints of water parameter characteristics. H2OGAN supports various functions including data augmentation, anomaly detection, risk assessment, and predictive model optimization, thereby enhancing the security and efficiency of water supply systems. Extensive testing is conducted in ACWA Lab, a cyber-physical testbed that replicates both operational and adversarial scenarios. These experiments utilize a RNN model, specifically a GRU, to classify and analyze the dynamics of various scenarios including normal operations, sensor anomalies, and malicious attacks. Further real-world validation is carried out at AlexRenew, a wastewater treatment facility in Alexandria, Virginia, confirming the effectiveness of H2OGAN in practical applications. This research not only advances the understanding of AI in water management but also emphasizes the critical need for robust security measures to protect against the evolving landscape of cyber threats.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/119019 |
| Date | 17 May 2024 |
| Creators | Lin, Yen-Cheng |
| Contributors | Electrical and Computer Engineering, Batarseh, Feras A., Ha, Dong S., Abbott, Amos L. |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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