IT Availability Risks in Smart Factory Networks - Analyzing the Effects of IT Threats on Production Processes Using Petri Nets

In manufacturing, concepts like the Internet of Things or Cyber-physical Systems accelerate the development from traditional production facilities towards smart factories. Thereby, emerging digital technologies increasingly connect information networks with production processes, forming complex smart factory networks (SFNs). Due to their reliance on information flows and the high degree of cross-linking, SFNs are, in particular, vulnerable to IT availability risks caused by attacks and errors. Against this backdrop, we present a modelling approach for analyzing the effects of IT threats on production processes. Based on Petri Nets, we provide modular SFN components for modelling SFN architectures and for simulating stochastic attack and error propagation. With this, we support the analysis and comparison of different SFN architectures regarding spreading effects, availability of information and production components, and associated effects on productivity. Our approach enables and serves as a foundation for decision support on SFN layouts from a risk perspective and the derivation of IT security mitigation measures in both research and practice. We evaluate our artefact by implementing and applying a software prototype in artificial and real-life settings.