Using 3D printers as weapons

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, is a transformative manufacturing technology that will play a significant role in the critical manufacturing sector. Industrial-grade 3D printers are increasingly used to produce functional parts for important systems. However, due to their reliance on computerization, 3D printers are susceptible to a broad range of attacks. More importantly, compromising a 3D printer is not a goal, but rather a staging point for launching subsequent attacks with the printer. For example, an adversary can compromise a 3D printer in order to manipulate the mechanical properties of manufactured parts. If the manufactured parts are used in jet engines or in other safety-critical systems, they could endanger human life, disrupt critical infrastructure assets and produce significant economic and societal impacts.This paper analyzes the ability of an adversary to "weaponize" compromised additive manufacturing equipment in order to cause kinetic, nuclear/biological/chemical or cyber damage. In particular, the paper presents categories (taxonomies) of the elements in an additive manufacturing workflow that can be compromised by successful attacks, the manipulations that the compromised elements can exercise and the weapon-like effects resulting from these manipulations. The relationships between these taxonomies are discussed. Finally, the weaponization capabilities of 3D printers are characterized.