INFORMATION SECURITY AND CYBER-SECURITY RISKS IN SMART GRIDS

Abstract

In parallel with the increase in the population density and individual energy need, the need to respond to the increasing energy demand in an efficient, safe and environmentally friendly manner has brought up the applications of smart grids. Conventional energy grids growing in time have become complex, inefficient and expensive to operate and use. They are critical because of providing the whole energy needs of the technologies required for our modern life but also cumbersome entities. “Smarting” the grids by automating, facilitating the troubleshooting and productivity analysis with the help of information technologies infrastructure, reinforcing the controls, charging the services in details makes it possible to administrate efficiently and provide high level quality services. But, evolving cyber threats against the grids has addressed the security aspect again. This paper summarizes the inevitable strategic cyber security approach to be demonstrated against cyber threats and attacks exploiting the vulnerabilities of the smart grids that are one of the cyber-physical systems in criticalinfrastructures of many national cyber security strategies.