IoT and smart grid : Communication security

Abstract: Electrical grids are a part of the critical infrastructure that society is reliant on for the running of everyday operations. The nature of the electrical grids results in them being located in different locations throughout the country to provide their services. Scattering the grids far from their controllers creates the need to be able to supervise them to get accurate and up to date information on their operation and status. This has been achieved in the past via SCADA systems but with the demand for an increase in their efficiency they have been upgraded with smaller IoT devices. These electrical grids are combined with IoT for a greater capacity to control and command and is referred to as a Smart Grid. The IoT devices are deployed in large numbers but often lack the normal resources of a computer and will struggle with extra security measures on top of their workload. This Creates the need for improvement in not only security but functionality. Hossain et al. declares in their study that communication security is an area of IoT that needs to be researched more for improved security application of IoT within Smart Grids. Using a structured literature review this study looked at communication security within the smart grids using IoT and which areas that have been researched the most to highlight areas of communication security that future studies should focus on. This study found that Authentication was the most researched area followed by Blockchain and Encryption with Data integrity being the least researched.