SeReCP: A Secure and Reliable Communication Platform for the Smart Grid

The management of a complex cyber-pbysical system such as the Smart Grid (SG) requires responsive, scalable nod high-bandwidth communication, which is often beyond the capabilities of the classical closed communication networks of the power grid. Consequently, the use of scalable public IPbased networks is increasingly beingadvocated. However, a direct consequence of the use of public networks is the exposure of the SG to varied reliability/seeurity risks, e.g., distributed denialot-serviee (DDoS). Thus the need exists for new lightweight mechanisms that can provide both cost-effective communication along with proactive DDoS attaek proteetion. We fill this gap by proposing a novel approach termed as SeReCP, which leverages: (1) a semi-trusted P2P-based publish-subseribe (PUb-sub) system providing a proaetive countermeasure for DDoS attacks nod secure group communications by aid of a group key management system, (2) a data diffusion mechanism that sustains the network availability in the case of both raodomly sweeping nod targeted DDoS attacks on pub-sub brokers, nod (3) a multi-boming-based fast recovery mecbaoism for detecting nod requesting the dropped paekets, thus paving the way for meeting the stringent latency requirements of SG applications. Our evaluation on a real testbed demonstrates that SeReCP provides the required seeurity nod availability for SG applications with up to 30% failures of the pub-sub brokers. Overall, we sbow that SeReCP belps enable the secure use of public network based communication for safetycritical cyber-pbysical systems such as the SG.