Just How Secure is the Smart Grid?

This was written by Michael W. Cheek on Friday, December 4, 2009, 11:38.

The federal government under the Obama administration has been moving towards the use of ’smart’ technologies, including cloud computing and the smart grid for power. A number of people have raised questions surrounding the security of cloud computing, but what about smart grid technology? How secure is it?

In a recent article published in Computer Week, Ira Winkler discusses some of the concerns surrounding the use of smart grid technology. While some have questioned the potential for damage from a hacking attack into a smart grid or the motivation for criminals to do so, Winkler sees a plethora of evidence pointing the other direction.

Winkler sites that while a smart grid is supposedly not networked, the devices it services in every home and business are. Hackers will be able to find exploits in the smart grid in the same way they have in virtually every other man-made system.

In the article Winkler outlines several avenues of attack that are within the realm of possibility. These include: cutting electricity, force brown outs, flood the grid, use the devices to attack the grid, shake confidence in the system and appropriate free service.

While Winkler is not suggesting that the US not move to smart grid technology, the US should consider the security implications of such a move.