Smart grid security is now facing huge challenges

In the past seven years, the most serious power shortage has not yet completely passed, coupled with the temporary restrictions on the development of nuclear power, which has caused renewable energy sources such as wind power and solar energy to attract people's attention once again. With the large-scale grid connection of renewable energy such as wind power and solar energy with intermittent and volatile characteristics, and the intensification of the energy crisis, the power system is facing unprecedented challenges, such as generation, transmission, substation, power distribution, electricity use, and dispatch. The complex interactions will make the issue of power safety more prominent.

At the same time, with the continuous emergence of new equipment and new technologies in the field of smart devices and wireless communications, and gradually being widely applied to the construction of power communication networks, the smart grid has a complex access environment and flexible and diverse access methods. A large number of smart access terminals and Other features will increase the security risk of smart grids. For example, many technologies currently being deployed to support smart grid projects - smart meters, sensors, etc. - will increase the risk of grid attacks.

In September 2010, a Stuxnet virus called Stuxnet swept the global industry. The virus infected more than 45,000 networks worldwide, bringing huge threats and damage to the power sector in various countries. In the face of such threats, the international community has already begun to act, not only accelerating R&D and construction of smart grids, but also establishing relevant departments to protect the safety of smart grids. For example, the National Institute of Standards and Technology of the United States has set up a special research organization named "Smart Grid Collaboration - Network Security Working Group" to defend the security of the smart grid.

Also in China, related standards for the development of smart grid security, technical research, and industrial advancement are actively underway. State Grid will invest more than 4 trillion yuan in the next 10 years to promote the construction of a strong smart grid. According to statistics, 15% of total smart grid investment will be used for safety-related construction. Obviously, in the future, China's smart grid security market has great potential and has broad space for development.

Information security is an important basis for smart grid security It is understood that as of now, the United States, Europe, Japan and other countries and regions have carried out a lot of work in the concept, technology research and engineering practice of smart grids. Among them, the definition of China's strong smart grid is based on the UHV grid as the backbone grid, the strong grid of coordinated development of all levels of grids, supported by the communication information platform, and has the characteristics of information, automation, and interaction, including the power system. The power generation, transmission, substation, distribution, power supply, and dispatching processes cover all voltage levels and realize a highly integrated, modern power grid with "electricity flow, information flow, and business flow."

“In this concept, the communication information platform, informationization, automation, interaction, and information flow all show that information and communication technology are inextricably linked to the development of the power grid.” said Xu Zhen, technical consultant of Beijing Huadian Information Security Technology Evaluation Center. With the construction of China's smart grid, information security issues in power grid dispatch automation, relay protection and safety devices, power plant control automation, substation automation, distribution automation, power load devices, power market transactions, power user information collection, intelligent use Many areas such as electricity may face the threat of information security. It can be said that information security has become an important basis for the safe and stable operation of smart grids and reliable power supply to society, and is an important part of the production, operation and management of electric power companies. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has also clearly emphasized that we must attach great importance to smart grid information security.

According to Bai Xiaoming, deputy chief engineer of the China Electric Power Research Institute and director of the Strategic Development Research Center, “In terms of grid informationization, China’s situation is similar to that of Europe and the United States and other developed countries, but China has obvious advantages in power grid system monitoring and other aspects.” The information security of the power grid is a threat to the infrastructure. It involves a wide range of areas. Only the power user privacy protection technology includes individual data and knowledge hiding technologies.” Deputy Director of the Institute of Information and Communication, China Electric Power Research Institute Kunlun said.

The speeding up of the construction of the smart grid security system Recently, the four UHV and smart grid standards developed by the State Grid Corporation of China were discussed at the first working group meeting of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This meeting formally discussed and considered the above four standards and finally approved the establishment of a project working group. If the above standards are mature and internationally recognized, the above four standards will become international standards. This shows that for the first time in the construction of smart grids, China has “standed in the same starting line” with other countries in the world.

The information security of the smart grid is a systematic project. A safe and stable power grid that can effectively resist internal and external attacks is the basic requirement of the smart grid, and unified planning and deployment of security is the system goal of the smart grid. This includes the construction of special Trojan defense systems, cryptographic technologies, etc. A variety of information security tools and products cooperate with each other, complement each other, and maximize the use value. This is also the profound meaning of a unified and strong smart grid.

In this regard, Chengdu Weishitong Information Industry Co., Ltd. and Beijing Qixingchen Information Security Technology Co., Ltd. are all accelerating the research and development of the relevant safety systems of the smart grid.

Not long ago, the State Grid Power Grid Research Institute, funded and established by the State Grid, laid the foundation for the future technology city of Changping District in Beijing. This marks a new page in the construction of a strong smart grid in the State Grid. As a smart grid equipment manufacturing technology R&D institution and high-tech enterprise, the institute has a very important strategic significance for supporting the development of a strong smart grid, enhancing China’s leading position in the global smart grid field, and promoting economic and social progress.