Security and Privacy in Smart Grids: Challenges, Current Solutions and Future Opportunities

Smart grids are a promising upgrade to legacy power grids due to enhanced cooperation of involved parties, such as consumers and utility providers. These newer grids improve the efficiency of electricity generation and distribution by leveraging communication networks to exchange information between those different parties. However, the increased connection and communication also expose the control networks of the power grid to the possibility of cyber-attacks. Therefore, research on cybersecurity for smart grids is crucial to ensure the safe operation of the power grid and to protect the privacy of consumers. In this paper, we investigate the security and privacy challenges of the smart grid; present current solutions to these challenges, especially in the light of intrusion detection systems; and discuss how future grids will create new opportunities for cybersecurity.