Smart grids security challenges: Classification by sources of threats

Abstract

Smart grids (SGs) deployments have made power systems operation more efficient by the application of distributed computing schemes in grids’ interoperation. However, these schemes have triggered various security issues which are growing to be of major concerns. Physical attacks, cyber-attacks or natural disasters are major notable form of threats to SGs deployment which could lead to infrastructural failure, blackouts, energy theft, customer privacy breach, endangered safety of operating personnel, etc. Hence, the need to critically examine the security issues aimed at preventing possible threats or failures. In this review, various security challenges and threats are discussed with respect to their possible sources of occurrence. These threats are then classified and a framework for achieving more secured SGs is suggested. Keywords: Smart grids, Security, Threats, Sources, Classification