Mutual Authentication and Key establishment mechanism using DCU certificate in Smart Grid

Abstract

The electric power network that used to run as a closed circuit is operated in connection with various wired and wireless networks in the smart grid environment. Thus the security threats in the existing communication environment and additional threats from the characteristics of the smart grid are expected. Therefore, it is critically required to develop of the security mechanism to establish a secure smart grid environment from these threats. In this paper, we propose a mechanism that provides mutual authentication and session key establishment between the smart meter and DCU. The proposed mechanism has advantages in preventing attackers to transmit information, impersonating a smart meter or a DCU, providing confidentiality and integrity to transmitted messages by generating a new key in each session, and management efficiency to use only the DCU's certificate.