No abstract

The Smart meters are used in the areas of generation, transmission, distribution and consumption. The capabilities of smart meter systems and grid networks, such as distributed intelligence and broadband capabilities can greatly enhance efficiency and reliability, but they may also create much new vulnerability if not deployed with the appropriate security controls. Much of the technology currently in use by the meters are outdated and in many cases unreliable. A system architecture implementing should recognize security threats and capture events that result not from external threats but from internal mistakes, with human error being a more common occurrence. An effective security approach enhances reliability because some security failures might be people failures, while others might be equipment failures, might be due to natural causes or might be deliberate. A simple perimeter defense is not sufficient; monitoring, both for events and physical actions, is required to bring the benefits of smart meters with minimal risk to this vital part of the infrastructure of modern life.