ABSTRACT
Maintaining integrity, availability, authenticity, and confidentiality of smart grid data and control information becomes increasingly challenging in the last mile to the home. Physical security is more difficult to achieve, leading to greater potential for tampering and compromise of nodes. e larger number of nodes and the interdependency of nodes for communication leave the system more vulnerable to certain types of attacks. Encryption is essential to network security; however, encryption key management is a particular challenge in the smart grid due to the large number of distributed nodes. Interoperability and flexibility goals can appear to be at odds with the implementation of security measures that ensure valid data are being provided. A balance must be struck between competing objectives. Security decisions in the last mile must be evaluated from the broader perspective of maintaining operation of the smart power system in the face of evolving attacks and adversaries over the deployment life of the system.
