The New York Times last week reported that as the Smart Grid continues to expand, so too does its vulnerability to Cyber Attacks. Here Ann Whyte, Director of Corporate Communications at DS2, explains how its powerline communications technology is being developed to enable secure, two-way communication – a feature first highlighted as a concern by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
One of the key elements to the future Smart Grid will be communication networks that allow utilities to communicate with Smart Meters and other energy-using devices. This two-way flow of electricity and real-time energy pricing information will detail energy used by each device and other advanced applications, allowing consumers to save energy and reduce their carbon footprint.
This technology will enable utilities to combat fraud, introduce effective real-time management of the grid and slow down their investment in new energy generation capabilities. However, any vulnerability in the Smart Grid could have an impact on utility’s energy distribution grid and could be used by hackers and fraudsters to gain access to consumers’ private personal information.
So, alongside high-speed communications and robust features, what the Smart Grid also requires is Cyber Security – the protection required to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of the electronic information communication system.
What does the expansion of the Smart Grid mean in terms of security?
• Stringent management and protection of components within these infrastructures must be addressed
• It increases the complexity of the grid which could exposure it to potential attackers and unintentional errors
• It increases the number of entry points that can be exploited
• It Increases the potential for compromise of data confidentiality; including the breach of customer privacy
DS2 is a provider of powerline communications for Smart Grid applications and is tackling this security threat through its state-of-the-art security technology – designed to prevent attacks on the Smart Grid integrity. DS2´s current UPA-based technology includes the latest security standards and its next generation Smart Grid technology will be G.hn-based.
G.hn is the standard from ITU for anywire connectivity, which is included in the the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) list of Smart Grid standards. G.hn includes point-to-point AES-128 encryption, ITU X.1035 authentication and like DS2’s UPA-based powerline technology provides much stronger security than today’s wireless networks.
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