Cyber Security of Smart Grid Infrastructure

Abstract: Smart grid security is crucial to maintain stable and reliable power system operation during the contingency situation due to the failure of any critical power system component. Ensuring a secured smart grid involves with a less possibility of power grid collapse or equipment malfunction. Due to lack of the proper security measures, a major blackout may occur which can even lead to a cascading failure. Therefore, to protect this critical power system infrastructure and to ensure a reliable and an uninterrupted power supply to the end users, smart grid security issues must be addressed with high priority. In a smart grid environment, electric power infrastructure is modernized by incorporating the current and future requirements and advanced functionalities to its consumers. To make the smart grid happen, cyber system is integrated with the physical power system. Although adoption of cyber system has made the grid more energy efficient and modernized, it has introduced cyber-attack issues which are critical for national infrastructure security and customer satisfaction. Due to the cyber-attack, power grid may face operational failures and loss of synchronization. This operational failure may damage critical power system components which may interrupt the power supply and make the system unstable resulting high financial penalties. In this chapter, some recent cyber attack related incidents into a smart grid environment are discussed. The requirements and the state of the art of cyber security issues of a critical power system infrastructure are illustrated elaborately.