4,334 research outputs found
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
IMPROVING SMART GRID SECURITY USING MERKLE TREES
Abstract—Presently nations worldwide are starting to convert their aging electrical power infrastructures into modern, dynamic power grids. Smart Grid offers much in the way of efficiencies and robustness to the electrical power grid, however its heavy reliance on communication networks will leave it more vulnerable to attack than present day grids. This paper looks at the threat to public key cryptography systems from a fully realized quantum computer and how this could impact the Smart Grid. We argue for the use of Merkle Trees in place of public key cryptography for authentication of devices in wireless mesh networks that are used in Smart Grid applications
An analysis of security issues in building automation systems
The purpose of Building Automation Systems (BAS) is to centralise the management of a wide range of building services, through the use of integrated protocol and communication media. Through the use of IP-based communication and encapsulated protocols, BAS are increasingly being connected to corporate networks and also being remotely accessed for management purposes, both for convenience and emergency purposes. These protocols, however, were not designed with security as a primary requirement, thus the majority of systems operate with sub-standard or non-existent security implementations, relying on security through obscurity. Research has been undertaken into addressing the shortfalls of security implementations in BAS, however defining the threats against BAS, and detection of these threats is an area that is particularly lacking. This paper presents an overview of the current security measures in BAS, outlining key issues, and methods that can be improved to protect cyber physical systems against the increasing threat of cyber terrorism and hacktivism. Future research aims to further evaluate and improve the detection systems used in BAS through first defining the threats and then applying and evaluating machine learning algorithms for traffic classification and IDS profiling capable of operating on resource constrained BAS
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
Towards a Layered Architectural View for Security Analysis in SCADA Systems
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems support and control
the operation of many critical infrastructures that our society depend on, such
as power grids. Since SCADA systems become a target for cyber attacks and the
potential impact of a successful attack could lead to disastrous consequences
in the physical world, ensuring the security of these systems is of vital
importance. A fundamental prerequisite to securing a SCADA system is a clear
understanding and a consistent view of its architecture. However, because of
the complexity and scale of SCADA systems, this is challenging to acquire. In
this paper, we propose a layered architectural view for SCADA systems, which
aims at building a common ground among stakeholders and supporting the
implementation of security analysis. In order to manage the complexity and
scale, we define four interrelated architectural layers, and uses the concept
of viewpoints to focus on a subset of the system. We indicate the applicability
of our approach in the context of SCADA system security analysis.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure
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
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
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