Security architecture for power-line metering system

Abstract

Transmitting metering and control data over public power-line networks not only demands high availability and reliable data transmission but also implies security measures to protect data from malicious manipulation. This aspect is especially important if data should be used for billing or other legal purposes. The introduced security architecture of the REMPLI (real-time energy management via powerlines and Internet) system tries to meet the above requirements for data integrity and authentication. Therefore, the security policy and security measures must be designed to meet the peculiarities of power-line communication, demanding to reduce the security overhead and deal with a strictly packet oriented transmission media. The suggested design includes smart cards and a layered security approach.