Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems
To meet the increasing demand for electricity and to have a more reliable and resilient electric grid against conventional and extreme events, grid modernization is more crucial now than ever before. This will require the development and deployment of devices that provide advanced communication capa...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
IEEE
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | IEEE Access |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10852309/ |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832576753612095488 |
|---|---|
| author | Warren Grice Mohammed Olama Annabelle Lee Philip G. Evans |
| author_facet | Warren Grice Mohammed Olama Annabelle Lee Philip G. Evans |
| author_sort | Warren Grice |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | To meet the increasing demand for electricity and to have a more reliable and resilient electric grid against conventional and extreme events, grid modernization is more crucial now than ever before. This will require the development and deployment of devices that provide advanced communication capabilities. The overall efficiency, reliability, and resilience of the smart grid will be inextricably linked to the exchange of information between these devices. Unfortunately, the increased information flow will increase the potential attack surface and introduce new vulnerabilities. While a smarter grid will depend critically on information flow, these benefits will be accrued only if that information can be protected. Nowadays, information is secured in smart grids primarily through cryptography. However, with the increasing number of sophisticated attacks as well as the increasing computational power, the security of the “classical” cryptographic algorithms is threatened. Quantum information science offers solutions to this problem, specifically quantum key distribution (QKD), which provides a means for the generation and secure distribution of symmetric cryptographic keys. The security of QKD stems ultimately from the very nature of quantum physics. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of QKD to the various smart grid sectors and specific use cases. We have identified 18 smart grid use cases of interest for QKD suitability together with 7 QKD factors used for the assessment of the various use cases. For each use case, the impact to security of the loss of confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability is specified. In addition, the suitability of QKD is assessed for each use case with respect to multiple factors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4cbd145bb2984f2b93f9d3e0e85a049f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2169-3536 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IEEE |
| record_format | Article |
| series | IEEE Access |
| spelling | doaj-art-4cbd145bb2984f2b93f9d3e0e85a049f2025-01-31T00:01:56ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-0113173981741310.1109/ACCESS.2025.353394210852309Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity SystemsWarren Grice0Mohammed Olama1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3890-2064Annabelle Lee2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9208-076XPhilip G. Evans3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9612-2031Computational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USAComputational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USANevermore Security, Evergreen, CO, USAComputational Sciences and Engineering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USATo meet the increasing demand for electricity and to have a more reliable and resilient electric grid against conventional and extreme events, grid modernization is more crucial now than ever before. This will require the development and deployment of devices that provide advanced communication capabilities. The overall efficiency, reliability, and resilience of the smart grid will be inextricably linked to the exchange of information between these devices. Unfortunately, the increased information flow will increase the potential attack surface and introduce new vulnerabilities. While a smarter grid will depend critically on information flow, these benefits will be accrued only if that information can be protected. Nowadays, information is secured in smart grids primarily through cryptography. However, with the increasing number of sophisticated attacks as well as the increasing computational power, the security of the “classical” cryptographic algorithms is threatened. Quantum information science offers solutions to this problem, specifically quantum key distribution (QKD), which provides a means for the generation and secure distribution of symmetric cryptographic keys. The security of QKD stems ultimately from the very nature of quantum physics. In this paper, we investigate the applicability of QKD to the various smart grid sectors and specific use cases. We have identified 18 smart grid use cases of interest for QKD suitability together with 7 QKD factors used for the assessment of the various use cases. For each use case, the impact to security of the loss of confidentiality, integrity, and/or availability is specified. In addition, the suitability of QKD is assessed for each use case with respect to multiple factors.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10852309/Smart grid securitysymmetric and asymmetric cryptographyquantum key distribution |
| spellingShingle | Warren Grice Mohammed Olama Annabelle Lee Philip G. Evans Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems IEEE Access Smart grid security symmetric and asymmetric cryptography quantum key distribution |
| title | Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems |
| title_full | Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems |
| title_fullStr | Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems |
| title_short | Quantum Key Distribution Applicability to Smart Grid Cybersecurity Systems |
| title_sort | quantum key distribution applicability to smart grid cybersecurity systems |
| topic | Smart grid security symmetric and asymmetric cryptography quantum key distribution |
| url | https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10852309/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT warrengrice quantumkeydistributionapplicabilitytosmartgridcybersecuritysystems AT mohammedolama quantumkeydistributionapplicabilitytosmartgridcybersecuritysystems AT annabellelee quantumkeydistributionapplicabilitytosmartgridcybersecuritysystems AT philipgevans quantumkeydistributionapplicabilitytosmartgridcybersecuritysystems |