Comprehensive security review and challenges for smart and power grids to prevent cyber-attacks in IoTs

One of the most significant use cases of the Internet of Things (IoTs) is the Smart Grid (SG), which is an advanced digital bi-directional power distribution system characterized by self-recovery capabilities. This SG offers resilient, adaptive, self-recovery, and sustainable power distribution. The recent past has seen a gradual shift from unidirectional power systems towards the SG's bi-directional model. However, these large, complex, and self-healing SG systems have numerous vulnerabilities that threaten the exchanged data and power control commands. Therefore, many research efforts have been directed towards the enhancement of the SG security. In this paper, an overview of threats, attacks, vulnerabilities, security measures, and limitations for the IoT-based SG are described. We also give detailed descriptions of the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) architecture as well as cloud computing as critical components of the smart grids. Moreover, this survey paper discusses tools and methods for verifying security protocols. The outcomes indicate the necessity of ensuring Quality of Service (QoS) in various communication technologies and networks deployed in SGs. The findings also point to the significance of developing network models and middleware to enhance QoS of the smart grid networks, which collect various data from diverse smart components and sensors.