Multicast Delayed Authentication For Streaming Synchrophasor Data in the Smart Grid

Published

May 30, 2016

Author(s)

Sergio Camara, Dhananjay Anand, Victoria Yan Pillitteri, Luiz F. Carmo

Abstract

Multicast authentication of synchrophasor data is challenging due to the design requirements of Smart Grid monitoring systems such as low security overhead, tolerance of lossy networks, time-criticality and high data rates. In this work, we propose inf-TESLA, Infinite Timed Efficient Stream Loss-tolerant Authentication, a multicast delayed authentication protocol for communication links used to stream synchrophasor data for wide area control of electric power networks. Our approach is based on the authentication protocol TESLA but is augmented to accommodate high frequency transmissions of unbounded length. inf-TESLA protocol utilizes the Dual Offset Key Chains mechanism to reduce authentication delay and computational cost associated with key chain commitment. We provide a description of the mechanism using two different modes for disclosing keys and demonstrate its security against a man-in-the-middle attack attempt. We compare our approach against the TESLA protocol in a 2-day simulation scenario, showing a reduction of 15.82% and 47.29% in computational cost, sender and receiver respectively, and a cumulative reduction in the communication overhead.

Proceedings Title

ICT Systems Security and Privacy Protection

Volume

471

Conference Dates

May 30-June 1, 2016

Conference Location

Ghent, BE

Conference Title

31st IFIP TC 11 International Conference (SEC 2016)

Pub Type

Conferences

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33630-5_3

Local Download

Keywords

multicast authentication, smart grid, synchrophasors, wide area monitoring protection and control

Citation

Camara, S. , Anand, D. , Pillitteri, V. and Carmo, L. (2016), Multicast Delayed Authentication For Streaming Synchrophasor Data in the Smart Grid, ICT Systems Security and Privacy Protection, Ghent, BE, [online], https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-33630-5_3, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=920588 (Accessed October 28, 2025)