18,124 research outputs found
A key management architecture and protocols for secure smart grid communications
Providing encrypted communications among power grid components is expected to be a basic requirement of smart grid systems in the future. Here, we propose a key management architecture and associated protocols tailored to support encrypted smart grid communications. The architecture consists of two levels structured around the grid control system hierarchy. At the top level, which consist of control centers and regional coordinators, a bottom-up key structure is adopted using hash chaining and a logical key hierarchy. The lower level of the architecture consists of the regional coordinators (i.e., substations and distribution systems) and remote ends (e.g., meters and pole-top sensors) and utilizes a top-down key management approach built on an inverse element method. The proposed key management schema supports the hierarchical structure of the smart grid control mechanisms, and it takes the resource and electronic/physical security differences of the control levels into account. We define a set of protocols utilizing the architecture to provide secure unicast, multicast, and broadcast communications. Furthermore, we illustrate how the architecture is flexible enough to easily handle power grid nodes joining and leaving the system at the different levels. Lastly, we compare the proposed schema with existing ones and show that our architecture can achieve efficient key management to provide secure communications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
A survey on cyber security for smart grid communications
A smart grid is a new form of electricity network with high fidelity power-flow control, self-healing, and energy reliability and energy security using digital communications and control technology. To upgrade an existing power grid into a smart grid, it requires significant dependence on intelligent and secure communication infrastructures. It requires security frameworks for distributed communications, pervasive computing and sensing technologies in smart grid. However, as many of the communication technologies currently recommended to use by a smart grid is vulnerable in cyber security, it could lead to unreliable system operations, causing unnecessary expenditure, even consequential disaster to both utilities and consumers. In this paper, we summarize the cyber security requirements and the possible vulnerabilities in smart grid communications and survey the current solutions on cyber security for smart grid communications. © 2012 IEEE
Smart Grid Communications: Overview of Research Challenges, Solutions, and Standardization Activities
Optimization of energy consumption in future intelligent energy networks (or
Smart Grids) will be based on grid-integrated near-real-time communications
between various grid elements in generation, transmission, distribution and
loads. This paper discusses some of the challenges and opportunities of
communications research in the areas of smart grid and smart metering. In
particular, we focus on some of the key communications challenges for realizing
interoperable and future-proof smart grid/metering networks, smart grid
security and privacy, and how some of the existing networking technologies can
be applied to energy management. Finally, we also discuss the coordinated
standardization efforts in Europe to harmonize communications standards and
protocols.Comment: To be published in IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorial
Towards a Secure Smart Grid Storage Communications Gateway
This research in progress paper describes the role of cyber security measures
undertaken in an ICT system for integrating electric storage technologies into
the grid. To do so, it defines security requirements for a communications
gateway and gives detailed information and hands-on configuration advice on
node and communication line security, data storage, coping with backend M2M
communications protocols and examines privacy issues. The presented research
paves the road for developing secure smart energy communications devices that
allow enhancing energy efficiency. The described measures are implemented in an
actual gateway device within the HORIZON 2020 project STORY, which aims at
developing new ways to use storage and demonstrating these on six different
demonstration sites.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure
Software Defined Networks based Smart Grid Communication: A Comprehensive Survey
The current power grid is no longer a feasible solution due to
ever-increasing user demand of electricity, old infrastructure, and reliability
issues and thus require transformation to a better grid a.k.a., smart grid
(SG). The key features that distinguish SG from the conventional electrical
power grid are its capability to perform two-way communication, demand side
management, and real time pricing. Despite all these advantages that SG will
bring, there are certain issues which are specific to SG communication system.
For instance, network management of current SG systems is complex, time
consuming, and done manually. Moreover, SG communication (SGC) system is built
on different vendor specific devices and protocols. Therefore, the current SG
systems are not protocol independent, thus leading to interoperability issue.
Software defined network (SDN) has been proposed to monitor and manage the
communication networks globally. This article serves as a comprehensive survey
on SDN-based SGC. In this article, we first discuss taxonomy of advantages of
SDNbased SGC.We then discuss SDN-based SGC architectures, along with case
studies. Our article provides an in-depth discussion on routing schemes for
SDN-based SGC. We also provide detailed survey of security and privacy schemes
applied to SDN-based SGC. We furthermore present challenges, open issues, and
future research directions related to SDN-based SGC.Comment: Accepte
Internet of Things-aided Smart Grid: Technologies, Architectures, Applications, Prototypes, and Future Research Directions
Traditional power grids are being transformed into Smart Grids (SGs) to
address the issues in existing power system due to uni-directional information
flow, energy wastage, growing energy demand, reliability and security. SGs
offer bi-directional energy flow between service providers and consumers,
involving power generation, transmission, distribution and utilization systems.
SGs employ various devices for the monitoring, analysis and control of the
grid, deployed at power plants, distribution centers and in consumers' premises
in a very large number. Hence, an SG requires connectivity, automation and the
tracking of such devices. This is achieved with the help of Internet of Things
(IoT). IoT helps SG systems to support various network functions throughout the
generation, transmission, distribution and consumption of energy by
incorporating IoT devices (such as sensors, actuators and smart meters), as
well as by providing the connectivity, automation and tracking for such
devices. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey on IoT-aided SG
systems, which includes the existing architectures, applications and prototypes
of IoT-aided SG systems. This survey also highlights the open issues,
challenges and future research directions for IoT-aided SG systems
Reconfigurable Security: Edge Computing-based Framework for IoT
In various scenarios, achieving security between IoT devices is challenging
since the devices may have different dedicated communication standards,
resource constraints as well as various applications. In this article, we first
provide requirements and existing solutions for IoT security. We then introduce
a new reconfigurable security framework based on edge computing, which utilizes
a near-user edge device, i.e., security agent, to simplify key management and
offload the computational costs of security algorithms at IoT devices. This
framework is designed to overcome the challenges including high computation
costs, low flexibility in key management, and low compatibility in deploying
new security algorithms in IoT, especially when adopting advanced cryptographic
primitives. We also provide the design principles of the reconfigurable
security framework, the exemplary security protocols for anonymous
authentication and secure data access control, and the performance analysis in
terms of feasibility and usability. The reconfigurable security framework paves
a new way to strength IoT security by edge computing.Comment: under submission to possible journal publication
- …