Difference between revisions of "Projects:2017s1-167c Smart Grid Security"

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(Created page with "== Project Team == Juin Hao Yau == Supervisors == Dr Matthew Sorell == Introduction == Smart grids are the next generation of power grids which can improve the standard grid...")
 
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Juin Hao Yau
 
Juin Hao Yau
  
== Supervisors ==
+
== Supervisor ==
 
Dr Matthew Sorell
 
Dr Matthew Sorell
  
 
== Introduction ==
 
== Introduction ==
Smart grids are the next generation of power grids which can improve the standard grid
+
As our technology advances forward at a rapid rate, the current power grid use today has
in terms of efficiency, reliability, connectivity and is more cost efficient. Over the years,
+
not been significantly modified or improved. The current power grid is not reliable and has
the traditional grid has been facing with many power problems which lead to blackouts.
+
been causing blackouts, voltage sags and other numerous problems over the years. A similar
Because of this many countries are slowly replacing the traditional grid with smart grid and
+
but better electric grid called smart grids are replacing the standard electric infrastructure
other countries will soon adopt smart grids. A smart grid is composed of different systems
+
but at a very slow pace. What differs from a smart grid and the standard electric grid
and a major system is the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI). AMI is not a single
+
is that a smart grid is more reliable, manageable, scalable, cost efficient and has two-way
system by itself, but contains sub-systems like smart meters, Home Area Network (HAN)
+
communication between the utility operator and the consumer.
and Meter Data Management System (MDMS) which connects the customer to the operator.
+
 
The AMI is able to provide two-way communication between the customer and operator as
+
A smart grid consists of different entities connected by multiple systems. Advanced metering
the communication link not only provides electricity but also information. However, because
+
infrastructure (AMI) is a system component within the smart grid which connects
the smart grid is interconnected and contains communication systems, it is more susceptible
+
smart meters from the consumers to the operators and vice versa. However, smart grids are
to cyber attacks. In order to ensure the safety of the smart grid in terms of cyber security,
+
vulnerable to cyber security attacks because of its large use of communication technology.
it is important to first focus on the cyber security issues in AMI. The cyber security issues
+
This cyber security issues are also present in the AMI. If the cyber security issues are not
in AMI can be categorized into three main parts; privacy issues, unauthorized command
+
addressed well, it could cause the AMI to be vulnerable to cyber threats and have serious
and modification issues, and Denial-of-Service issues. It is also important to identify the
+
consequences.
perpetrator involve in the cyber security issues. From previous research, attackers can range
+
AMI system plays an important role in the smart grid and with its weak cyber security protocols,
from customers to terrorists. This research will first identify cyber security issues in AMI
+
it naturally becomes attackers first target. This research will cover the issues of cyber
and their appropriate causes then to discuss them. The aim of this research is to provide an
+
security in AMI, determine the requirements to mitigate the issues, discuss about the cyber
overall view of cyber security issues in AMI and to act as a reference and guide for future
+
threats resulting from the issues and to finally draw a conclusion by giving recommendations.
AMI works.
+
 
 +
== Motivation ==
 +
South Australia has been recently facing with energy crisis. Approximately 50% of South
 +
Australias energy comes from gas, 45% from wind energy and the remaining from solar, diesel
 +
and brown coal from Victoria. Wind energy has been proved to be not very reliable during
 +
the blackout on September 2016 and due to the closure of a few coal plants in Victoria, the
 +
demand for gas energy increases. One solution proposed was to use battery storage as a
 +
short-term fix. However, the upfront cost for battery storage is too expensive and is not as
 +
efficient compared to other methods.
 +
 
 +
A long-term solution for the energy crisis is to convert the traditional standard grid into a
 +
smart grid. By doing so, the operators and consumers are able to communicate with each
 +
other and control the energy flow during high demand. AMI plays an important role in
 +
assisting the smart grid to connect the operators and consumers. Other than that, a smart
 +
grid can recover from a blackout by rerouting another transmission line.
 +
 
 +
Furthermore, smart grids can help reduce energy cost for the consumers as the smart meters
 +
installed at the end user allows the consumer to monitor energy prices in near real time.
 +
With the AMI implemented, the utility provider no longer needs to send out the meter man
 +
to measure the energy usage once every few months, instead they can bill the consumers
 +
directly and more efficiently. For the utility provider, this saves cost on fuel for sending out
 +
a meter man, and for the consumer, they no longer need to worry about estimated billing
 +
when the meter man has no access to the meter.
 +
 
 +
== Purpose of the project ==
 +
The purpose of this project is to carry out an extensive research, discuss and provide an
 +
overall view on the Cyber Security Issues in AMI and can then be used as a general reference
 +
for future work. The aim is to first identify the current issues and causes from past
 +
research, discuss about the issues, list out the regulatory requirements and the cyber security
 +
requirements. This research will also include ways an attacker can exploit the AMI and the
 +
recommended resolutions.
 +
 
 +
== Background ==
 +
 
 +
=== What is a Smart Grid? ===
 +
Over the years the term smart grid has went through numerous changes, but in general it
 +
is used to describe power grids with enhanced communication and sensing system which
 +
improves the overall reliability. According to Liu et al. a smart grid is capable of analysing
 +
power usage information in real time [1]. What makes a smart grid more reliable than the
 +
standard power grid is that any outage in an area due to bad weather can be automatically
 +
rerouted from another working distribution line. This feature is called distribution intelligence.
 +
A smart grid is also capable of integrating different energy sources. This allows
 +
renewable and non-renewable energy to work well together.
 +
 
 +
One important feature of a smart grid is the two-way communication between the consumer
 +
and the operator unlike the standard grid which only flows one way. What this means is
 +
that electricity is not only flowing from the operator to the consumer but information from
 +
the consumer is also flowing back to the operator. This two-way communication allows the
 +
operator to adjust the energy according to the consumer needs.

Revision as of 19:03, 28 October 2017

Project Team

Juin Hao Yau

Supervisor

Dr Matthew Sorell

Introduction

As our technology advances forward at a rapid rate, the current power grid use today has not been significantly modified or improved. The current power grid is not reliable and has been causing blackouts, voltage sags and other numerous problems over the years. A similar but better electric grid called smart grids are replacing the standard electric infrastructure but at a very slow pace. What differs from a smart grid and the standard electric grid is that a smart grid is more reliable, manageable, scalable, cost efficient and has two-way communication between the utility operator and the consumer.

A smart grid consists of different entities connected by multiple systems. Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is a system component within the smart grid which connects smart meters from the consumers to the operators and vice versa. However, smart grids are vulnerable to cyber security attacks because of its large use of communication technology. This cyber security issues are also present in the AMI. If the cyber security issues are not addressed well, it could cause the AMI to be vulnerable to cyber threats and have serious consequences. AMI system plays an important role in the smart grid and with its weak cyber security protocols, it naturally becomes attackers first target. This research will cover the issues of cyber security in AMI, determine the requirements to mitigate the issues, discuss about the cyber threats resulting from the issues and to finally draw a conclusion by giving recommendations.

Motivation

South Australia has been recently facing with energy crisis. Approximately 50% of South Australias energy comes from gas, 45% from wind energy and the remaining from solar, diesel and brown coal from Victoria. Wind energy has been proved to be not very reliable during the blackout on September 2016 and due to the closure of a few coal plants in Victoria, the demand for gas energy increases. One solution proposed was to use battery storage as a short-term fix. However, the upfront cost for battery storage is too expensive and is not as efficient compared to other methods.

A long-term solution for the energy crisis is to convert the traditional standard grid into a smart grid. By doing so, the operators and consumers are able to communicate with each other and control the energy flow during high demand. AMI plays an important role in assisting the smart grid to connect the operators and consumers. Other than that, a smart grid can recover from a blackout by rerouting another transmission line.

Furthermore, smart grids can help reduce energy cost for the consumers as the smart meters installed at the end user allows the consumer to monitor energy prices in near real time. With the AMI implemented, the utility provider no longer needs to send out the meter man to measure the energy usage once every few months, instead they can bill the consumers directly and more efficiently. For the utility provider, this saves cost on fuel for sending out a meter man, and for the consumer, they no longer need to worry about estimated billing when the meter man has no access to the meter.

Purpose of the project

The purpose of this project is to carry out an extensive research, discuss and provide an overall view on the Cyber Security Issues in AMI and can then be used as a general reference for future work. The aim is to first identify the current issues and causes from past research, discuss about the issues, list out the regulatory requirements and the cyber security requirements. This research will also include ways an attacker can exploit the AMI and the recommended resolutions.

Background

What is a Smart Grid?

Over the years the term smart grid has went through numerous changes, but in general it is used to describe power grids with enhanced communication and sensing system which improves the overall reliability. According to Liu et al. a smart grid is capable of analysing power usage information in real time [1]. What makes a smart grid more reliable than the standard power grid is that any outage in an area due to bad weather can be automatically rerouted from another working distribution line. This feature is called distribution intelligence. A smart grid is also capable of integrating different energy sources. This allows renewable and non-renewable energy to work well together.

One important feature of a smart grid is the two-way communication between the consumer and the operator unlike the standard grid which only flows one way. What this means is that electricity is not only flowing from the operator to the consumer but information from the consumer is also flowing back to the operator. This two-way communication allows the operator to adjust the energy according to the consumer needs.