SMartER Power Grid
The title "SMartER Power Grid" might give the reader
the misleading impression
that what follows is a description of (yet another) project that
falls under the
broad area of (the so called) Smart
Power Grid.
Quite to the contrary, we describe our novel, out of the box,
cross-domain invention of methods
(including algorithms, communication protocols),
and a new system architecture to protect the
critical infrastructure(for example: refineries,
chemical plants, nuclear plants,
electric power generation stations and distribution grids, etc., ...
i.e., in general, any real-time SCADA control system)
against
ALL REMOTELY EXECUTED SUBVERSION ATTEMPTS.
Our architecture leverages the last hop of the electric-power
(distribution) grid;
from the end-user's electric meter to the nearest upstream
distribution point (which is usually a curb-side transformer or
a substation) as a separate physical path to implement a
secure, out-of-band communication channel which is used to
to exchange location-authentication messages.
We demonstrate that our architecture has the unique capabilities
to verify in real-time that
- The source of a requested trans_action is
physically connected to a specific Electric Meter
at any pre-designated (safe) location
(such as the control-room of
a nuclear reactor)
- Additionally, that the connection to the Electric Meter goes
through a physical device that we call the "Human Authorization Detector (HAD)",
and
- A human operator has inspected and approved the
requested trans_action by using a specific HAD device.
This in-turn leads to ** provably secure ** and robust
methods to defeat any/all remotely
executed attacks that attempt to subvert critical infrastructure.
Additionally, we demonstrate how to
leverage our novel architecture and methods to
also support/enable the following entirely new classes of applications
- Real-time location based access control (ex. an adversary cannot
remotely download sensitive documents about new inventions/designs ...)
- Tracking, theft monitoring and reporting, reliable
custody-chains.
- Emergency Signaling.
Our methods require minimal changes to the existing power-grid.
Furthermore, the modification we require
are slated to be phased in under the
auspices of the "Smart Grid" initiative.
The main idea behind "Smart Grid" is sound; in other words,
in the (near and certainly in the distant) future,
the Smart Grid is necessary for fundamental PHYSICAL reasons
arising out of "long-term sustainability".
(Most of the reasons that are usually given to justify the
need for the Smart Grid, such as
- the Smart Grid is necessary to enable
a "free market" in electric power
- to achieve efficiencies via demand sensitive pricing... etc.
turn out to be superfluous and
fall apart under genuine scientific scrutiny).
In any case, all we do is take a free-ride (i.e., piggyback our methods and
architecture) on top of the Smart Grid and demonstrate how
to create permanent, steady revenue streams
for the Grid Operators/Utility Companies.
Sounds too good to be true?
check out the following links
-
Location authentication through Power Line Communication:
Design, protocol, and analysis of a new out-of-band strategy
in the Proceedings of the IEEE Internal Symposium on
Power Line Communications and Its Applications(ISPLC), 2010,
Rio-de-Janeiro, Brazil, pp 279--284
-
Location Authentication, Tracking, and Emergency Signaling through
Power Line Communication: Designs and Protocols for New Out-of-Band Strategies
in
Cryptologia (a Journal published by the Taylor and Francis
Group), vol. 36, issue 2, pp 129-148
- Relevant Patents Issued and Assigned to Dr. Phatak
(sole Inventor and Assignee)
- D.S. Phatak,
"System, Method, and Apparata for Secure Communications Using an
Electrical Grid Network,"
US Patent No. 8,639,922-B2 ;
Date of issue : 28th January, 2014
- D.S. Phatak,
"SMartER Leveraging of the Power Grid to Substantially Improve the
Security of Distributed Systems
Via A Control Plane Data Network Over
the Smart Power Grid",
US Patent No. 8,918,639-B2 ;
Date of issue : issued 23rd December 2014
- D.S. Phatak,
US Patent No. 9,246,691-B2 ;
Date of issue : 26th January, 2016
-
SMartER Power Grid View-graphs
Want further info? Please contact
phatak@umbc.edu
Last update: November, 2016