Security management for an advanced metering Infrastructure (AMI) system of smart electrical grids

Abstract

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) plays a crucial role in enabling the efficient functioning of Smart Electrical Grids, but its successful implementation hinges on robust cybersecurity measures. To uphold data confidentiality and integrity, the deployment of an effective key management scheme (KMS) for multiple Smart Meters (SMs) and devices is imperative. The AMI exhibits unique characteristics, including storage and computation constraints in SMs, hybrid message transmission techniques, and varying participation levels in Demand Response (DR) projects, necessitating a tailored approach to security compared to other systems. In this research, we propose a KMS that is designed to address the specific security concerns of the AMI. The scheme comprises three key management procedures catering to the unicast, broadcast, and multicast modes of hybrid transmission. Given the resource limitations of SMs, we adopted simple cryptographic techniques for key creation and refreshing policies, ensuring efficiency without compromising on security. Furthermore, considering the variability of participants in DR projects, we established key refreshing policies that adapted to changing involvement. The effectiveness and security of the proposed KMS were rigorously evaluated, demonstrating its practical applicability and ability to safeguard the AMI ecosystem. The results of the evaluation indicate that our approach provides a viable and robust solution to the security challenges faced by AMI systems. By employing the proposed KMS, stakeholders can confidently deploy and manage AMI, ensuring the protection of sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of the Smart Electrical Grid.