Chapter 11 - Smart grid metering: security, privacy, and open challenges

Abstract

Smart grid (SG) systems are freshly improved networks of linked devices that considerably expand the traditional energy infrastructure’s reliability, efficiency, and sustainability. To attain high efficiency, the Information and communication technology (ICT) is used for execution, data monitoring and control, dependability, economics, and sustainability. In this regard, the SMI plays a critical role in the SG’s control, monitoring, and management of different domains. Despite SMI’s key benefits, security and privacy concerns have arisen due to the high openness of SG existence over traditional grid. It is expected that a significant number of heterogeneous devices will be coordinated across public communication networks. On the other hand, SGs are more vulnerable to security assaults than traditional grids due to their Internet and wireless networks. Thus, this chapter shows a quick review of real cyber-attack occurrences affecting traditional energy networks and smart metering networks. This chapter proposes a threat taxonomy that takes into account: (1) system-level security concerns; (2) service threats and theft; and (3) privacy threats for a set of guidelines over security and privacy for the SG metering network. Moreover, this chapter discusses various strategies utilized to handle these threats, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks.