Lightweight Hash-Based Authentication Protocol for Smart Grids

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity

Background:

• Smart grids leverage information and communications technology for enhanced electricity production, transportation, and consumption.
• Smart meters (SMs) are crucial for real-time electricity usage monitoring but require robust security and lightweight protocols.
• Existing SM security faces challenges from malicious attacks and communication constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a novel authentication protocol for smart meters (SMs).
• To address security vulnerabilities in memory protection and communication processes.
• To develop a lightweight protocol suitable for resource-constrained devices.

Main Methods:

• A new authentication protocol based on a one-way hash function is proposed.
• The protocol incorporates message authentication functions to prevent tampering.
• A dynamic encryption key mechanism is implemented for secure, per-transmission communication.

Main Results:

• The proposed protocol effectively addresses existing security threats against smart meters.
• Security and performance analyses demonstrate its capability to mitigate malicious attacks.
• The protocol achieves a computational efficiency improvement of 105,281.67% over previous methods.

Conclusions:

• The developed authentication protocol enhances smart grid security and efficiency.
• It provides a secure and lightweight solution for smart meter communication.
• The protocol offers a significant advancement in protecting smart grid infrastructure.