Authentication techniques in smart grid: a systematic review

TELKOMNIKA, Vol.17, No.3, June 2019, pp.1584~1594
ISSN: 1693-6930, accredited First Grade by Kemenristekdikti, Decree No: 21/E/KPT/2018
DOI: 10.12928/TELKOMNIKA.v17i3.11437  1584
Received November 12, 2018; Revised January 28, 2019; Accepted March 5, 2019
Authentication techniques in smart grid:
a systematic review
Malik Qasaimeh*1
, Rawan Turab2
, Raad S. Al-Qassas3
1
Department of Software Engineering, Princess Sumaya University for Technology,
P.O. Box 1438 Amman 11941 Jordan
2,3
Department of Computer Science, Princess Sumaya University for Technology,
P.O. Box 1438 Amman 11941 Jordan
*Corresponding author, e-mail: m.qasaimeh@psut.edu.jo
Abstract
Smart Grid (SG) provides enhancement to existing grids with two-way communication between
the utility, sensors, and consumers, by deploying smart sensors to monitor and manage power
consumption. However due to the vulnerability of SG, secure component authenticity necessitates robust
authentication approaches relative to limited resource availability (i.e. in terms of memory and
computational power). SG communication entails optimum efficiency of authentication approaches to avoid
any extraneous burden. This systematic review analyses 27 papers on SG authentication techniques and
their effectiveness in mitigating certain attacks. This provides a basis for the design and use of optimized
SG authentication approaches.
Keywords: authentication, key management, smart grid, smart meter
Copyright © 2019 Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. All rights reserved.
1. Introduction
Existing grids are enhanced in the case of smart grids (SGs) by the introduction of
bilateral communication between consumers, utilities, and sensors, which in the case of smart
sensors and meters enables monitoring and management of the consumption of electrical
power [1, 2]. More advanced sensor solutions, e.g. Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs), enable
energy saving by re-routing power automatically, relative to consumer demand, facilitating
reduced energy wastage and optimum stability, including error detection and reporting
(e.g. during power outages), and faster diagnosis and troubleshooting to enable system
restoration in the event of problems [3]. Advantages of SGs include reduced costs, less energy
consumption (with the potential for reduced carbon emissions and other detrimental
environmental impacts), fewer failures and quicker repair, and less potential for theft [4]. There
are three main network types in SG architectures:
 Wide Area Network (WAN)
 Neighborhood Area Network (NAN): this gathers data from PMUs and smart meters for the
utility company [3]
 Home Area Network (HAN): within Home Energy Management System (HEMS), this
facilitates data collection concerning consumption [5]
Conventional systems’ security features [6-8] must be conserved by SG and IoT
applications; indeed, they ought to be enhanced and improved, in terms of service and utility
availability, integrity, and confidentiality [9]. Additionally, they must face new dangers associated
with smart technologies, including such attacks as denial of service (DoS), replaying, spoofing,
traffic analysis and eavesdropping [10, 11]. The effects of such attacks range from relatively
innocuous (though by no means trivial) impacts such as passively collecting user electricity
consumption data (e.g. for market research) to altering smart meter values (thus manipulating
customer bills and power provider revenues), and even corrupting system utilities [12].
A review of SG authentication mechanisms by Bayindir et al. [4] evaluated the use of
Kerberos, public key authentication, one-time password, biometric authentication, and
identity-based authentication, but it did not relate the analysis to actual potential threats faced in
real-world applications. Nevertheless, the authors found that password-based authentication
fails to provide mutual authentication, although it is useful in access control; and that
certificate-less authentication is appropriate for SG authentication.

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Authentication techniques in smart grid: a systematic review (Malik Qasaimeh)
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SG multicast authentication one-time signature schemes were analyzed by Lei et
al.[12], in terms of the parameters of suitability, key management effectiveness, and storage
cost. The study found that the optimum theoretical solution was Time-Valid One-Time Signature
(TV-OTS), a technique whereby signature-generating and private keys are intermittently
refreshed, but more empirical research is necessary to substantiate this solution.
Various SG cryptography algorithms and associated key generation techniques were
evaluated by A. Kumar and A. Agarwal [13]. The security of such solutions fundamentally
depends on key randomness. It was found that in SG applications, lightweight algorithms are
optimal due to system limitations, as they have lower memory requirements, and asymmetric
algorithms are more germane, while symmetric algorithms are better solutions for the encryption
of messages during the authentication process.
This paper systematically reviews literature concerning SG authentication approaches
in order to identity optimized solutions for SG components relative to attacks, and analyses their
effectiveness in mitigating certain attacks to provide a basis for the design and use of optimized
SG authentication solution. Section 2 explains the research method. Section 3 sets out and
analyses the results, while section 4 concludes the paper.
2. Research Method
This systematic review includes papers on SG authentication techniques published
during the period 2010 and June 2018 in Springer Link (Springer), IEEE Xplore (IEEE), and
ScienceDirect (Elsevier) libraries. Searching utilized the combination of keywords to yield hits
pertinent to the research questions, subjected to inclusion and exclusion criteria phases, as
shown and explained in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Inclusion and exclusion process flow

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2.1. Research Questions
The following key research questions guided this systematic review.
2.1.1. RQ1: What SG Authentication Approaches Exist?
This question targets particular techniques developed and tested in primary studies to
give robust SG authentication solutions, with the objective of investigating common techniques
and security models applied to enhance SG authentication.
2.1.2. RQ2: What Attack Types are Mitigated by these Authentication Approaches?
As explained previously, SG components are susceptible to numerous forms of attack
(e.g. DoS and malicious software attacks). This research question aims to explore the application
of identified authentication approach to prevent or manage common attacks on SG systems.
2.2. Search Process
2.2.1. Digital Libraries Search
The selected digital libraries (Springer Link, IEEE Xplore, and ScienceDirect) were
searched for recent papers (published during 2010-June, 2018) on SG authentication, utilizing
Scopus indexing, which purports to comprise the greatest database of peer-reviewed articles.
Direct searching with key search terms was undertaken as shown in Table 1.
Table 1. Search Keywords
Keywords Closely matched keywords Combination using AND/OR (key string)
Smart grid Electrical grid
Smart grid AND effective AND authentication technique OR key
management (S1)
Electrical grid AND effective AND authentication technique OR key
management (S2)
Authentication
techniques
Key management, digital
signatures
Smart grid AND effective OR high quality AND digital signatures
(S3)
Electrical grid AND effective OR high quality AND digital signatures
(S4)
Effective High quality
Smart grid AND high quality AND authentication technique OR key
management (S5)
Electrical grid AND high quality AND authentication technique OR
key management (S6)
2.2.2. Selection Execution
All of the searched libraries yielded differing volumes of articles using the key strings.
Articles identified (i.e. hits) were compiled in CSV spreadsheets, then a script code was
executed to identify duplications and intersections between the articles. The consequent mass
of articles was refined by further selection, including examining the relevance of articles to the
research questions based on their titles, which reduced the set to 664 by excluding studies not
directly related to SG authentication techniques.
The first and second authors (i.e. reviewers) were engaged to independently examine the
664 articles with regard to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, again to exclude articles not directly
evaluating SG authentication techniques or threat mitigation, this time based on reading their
abstracts as well as titles. Outcomes were classed as relevant articles (Nra); conceivably relevant
articles (Nca); and irrelevant articles (Nira). Articles excluded at this stage included those whose
abstracts did not specify authentication techniques [14] or the mitigation of threats [15]. It was
noted by the reviewers that some authentication techniques had been replicated in numerous
studies by the same authors, with varying objectives or experimental methods; in such cases the
most recent study relevant to the study inclusion and exclusion criteria was used.
A total of 35 and 31 articles were considered relevant (Nra) by the first and second
reviewers (respectively), then they reviewed their pooled Nra, Nira, and Nca selections to judge
37 as relevant (Nra). To avoid any possibility of bias, the outcomes of the reviewers’
assessments were conveyed to a third reviewer for checking, and all reviewers subsequently
met to verify the exclusion of articles considered irrelevant by one or more reviewers,
subsequently yielding a final collection of articles with consensus among the reviewers on their
relevance to this study. As displayed in Figure 1. Finally, full-text analysis led to a total of

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33 articles. Quality assessment criteria were subsequently used to guarantee the rigor and
validity of the primary studies and 6 papers was eliminated.
2.2.3. Quality Assessment
The quality assessment decreased bias in article selection and made sure rigorous
criteria were used in assessing the selected articles’ quality as described in Table 2. Quality
scoring used the following criteria: Yes indicates that an article unambiguously meets the
assessment criteria (and thus is scored 1); No indicates that an article unequivocally fails to
meet the criteria (scored 0); and Indistinctive refers to doubt in whether the article meets the
criteria, necessitating more detailed analysis or correspondence with the author(s) to seek
clarification or partially meet the criteria (scored 0.5). Studies that scored over 50% in the
qualitative assessment are listed in Table 3.
2.3. Extracting Information
The extraction of information relevant to the research questions concerned:
 The SG component authentication technique.
 The attack the technique is intended to mitigate.
 The system vulnerabilities addressed.
Table 2. Criteria for Quality Assessment
S/N Question Answer
Q1 Is the research purpose clearly stated in the article? Yes/ No/ Indistinctive
Q2 Does the paper topic cover the power generation domain? Yes/ No/ Indistinctive
Q3 Does the paper use a mechanism, tool, framework, or methodology? Yes/ No/ Indistinctive
Q4 Is the mechanism, tool, framework, or methodology used in the paper relevant
to the research questions?
Yes/ No/ Indistinctive
Q5 Are the authentication approaches fully defined? Yes/ No/ Indistinctive
Q6 Are the authentication approaches verified? Yes/ No/ Indistinctive
Table 3. Results of Qualitative Assessment
Article ID Source Year Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 Q6 Total
Percentage
compliance
PS1 [16] IEEE 2012 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS2 [17] IEEE 2012 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 5.5 91.66
PS3 [18] IEEE 2017 0.5 1 1 1 0.5 0.5 4.5 83.33
PS4 [19] IEEE 2013 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 5.5 .75
PS5 [20] IEEE 2015 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 4 83.33
PS6 [21] IEEE 2011 1 1 1 1 1 0.5 5.5 66.66
PS7 [22] IEEE 2013 1 1 1 1 0.5 1 5.5 91.67
PS8 [23] IEEE 2011 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 1 0.5 4 66.66
PS9 [24] IEEE 2011 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS10 [25] IEEE 2013 0.5 1 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 3.5 58.33
PS11 [26] IEEE 2014 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 5.5 91.67
PS12 [27] IEEE 2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS13 [28] IEEE 2012 1 1 1 0.5 1 1 5.5 91.67
PS14 [29] IEEE 2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS15 [30] IEEE 2018 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS16 [31] Science Direct 2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS21 [36] Science Direct 2018 1 1 1 1 0.5 5.5 91.67
PS22 [31] Springer Link 2016 1 1 1 0.5 1 0.5 5 83.34
PS23 [37] Springer Link 2016 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS24 [38] Springer Link 2013 0.5 1 1 1 1 0.5 5 83.34
PS25 [39] Springer Link 2017 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS26 [40] Springer Link 2015 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 100
PS27 [41] IEEE 2014 1 1 1 1 1 11 6 100

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3. Results and Analysis
3.1. SG authentication Approaches (RQ1)
Answering RQ1 was directly related to analyzing authentication techniques of SG; a
concise summary is presented in Table 4. Subsequently, the identified techniques were
categorized into approaches as described in Table 5. Almost every included study deployed
some degree of cryptography in authentication, but we considered the approaches to be based
on cryptography if they used known techniques of cryptography, including hash function,
symmetric key encryption, and Diffie-Hellman. If they did not use such techniques, they were
classified under the general category of the approach used, as declared by the authors. For
instance, if password techniques were used for authentication of SG components with an
encryption technique in a constituent phase, the approach was classed as a password-based
one. Exceptional cases that could not be easily classified on this basis were included in the
hybrid encryption category, which included primary studies using no clear classification of
approach or multiple encryption techniques (e.g. public and symmetric key encryption) as
illustrated in Table 5 and Figure 2. The categories of cryptographic approaches deployed in SG
authentication are explained below.
Table 4. Smart Grid Authentication Approaches
Article ID Authentication approach Classification
PS1 [16] Biometric fingerprint authentication Biometric
PS2 [17] Broadcasting symmetric key encryption using MKB (media key block) to
distribute and extract the keys
Cryptography
PS3 [18] Cryptography symmetric key encryption using a hash function to distribute keys Cryptography
PS4 [19] Scalable and automated password-changing approach Password
PS5 [20] TESLA-based source authentication Cryptography
PS6 [21] Cryptography using pair-wise keys, including message authentication code to
check key integrity
Cryptography
PS7 [22] Signature-based using (TV-OTS) Signature-based
PS8 [23] Cryptographic mutual authentication and two secret values to ensure non-
repudiation and integrity
Cryptography
PS9 [24] Cryptography using hash-based message authentication code and Diffie-Hellman
key establishment
Cryptography
PS10 [25] The secure chip that stores the provider credentials such as IP address, provider
address, and associated phone number in a file included in the chip
Hardware
PS11 [26] Cryptography using Merkel trees depending on a hash function Cryptography
PS12 [27] Hardware authentication approach using ring oscillator physically unclonable
function (RO PUF) to derive keys
Hardware
PS13 [28] Password and symmetric key, and one hash function to ensure key integrity Password
PS14 [29] Authentication approach based on certificateless cryptosystem Cryptography
PS15 [30] Lightweight authentication approach using elliptic curve Cryptography
PS16 [31] Cryptography using Diffie-Hellman key establishment and timestamps Cryptography
PS17 [32] Cryptography based on lightweight Diffie-Hellman Cryptography
PS18 [33] Authentication approach using elliptic curve cryptography Cryptography
PS19 [34] Cryptography using PUF to derive keys Hardware
PS20 [35] Enhanced elliptic curve cryptography-based authentication Cryptography
PS21 [36] Lightweight elliptic curve approach using third party Cryptography
PS22 [31] Cryptography using public key scheme with password data validation at server Password
PS23 [37] Source authentication based on the concept of inf-TESLA Cryptography
PS24 [38] Cryptography using a hash function with a secret key shared between parties,
hash-based message authentication code (HMAC)
Cryptography
PS25 [39] Cryptography used a key exchanged protocol based on chaotic maps Cryptography
PS26 [40] Signature and secret key based efficient authentication protocol against pollution
attack (EAPA)
Signature
PS27 [41] Merkle-tree-based authentication scheme for SG Cryptography
3.1.1. Cryptographic-Based Approaches
The greatest number of studies fitting into a single category was for those using hybrid
encryption for SG authentication, with 18.5% of primary studies, comprising 27.7% of cryptography-
based approaches, as in PS5, PS6, PS14, PS23, and PS24. These approaches sought to conserve
limited computational resources in SG components (i.e. energy and power). For instance, Timed
Efficient Stream Loss-tolerant Authentication (TESLA) was used by PS5 and PS23, with the
distinguishing characteristics of less overhead packet communication, greater toleration of packet loss,
and lower computation overhead. TESLA is based on one-way chains generating symmetric keys that

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are subsequently revealed in reversed order, with messages being buffered prior to authentication. It is
thus of utility for SG components that need to be generally synchronized for speed-efficient assimilation
of energy data rather than real-time data processing speed, as in PS5. For high data transfer volumes
and longer durations of communication, PS23 suggested the use of inf-TESLA (i.e. for multicast
streaming data), which deploys dual key chain method to facilitate improved streaming authentication
continuity, preventing resynchronization and signing lag times and other associated problems.
Table 5. Frequency Distribution of Authentication Approaches
Approach Frequency Percentage
Cryptography-based Classification and mapping
Hybrid encryption 5
66.67
Hash function 4
Diffie-Hellman 3
Elliptic curve 4
Chaotic maps 1
Broadcast encryption 1
Password-based 3 11.11
Hardware-based 3 11.11
Signature-based 2 7.40
Biometric-based 1 3.70
Figure 2. Frequency distribution of authentication approaches
The approach developed by PS6 for SG authentication used symmetric key encryption,
with the sharing of pairwise keys between SG components, whereby all transmissions are
encrypted prior to transmission; this approach was intended to optimize power efficiency (i.e. to
function with the low computational power of SG components). PS14 used an authentication
technique deploying a cryptosystem with certificate-less, using instead a blend of identity-based
cryptography and public key technique to avoid the prohibitive cost of public key infrastructure
(PKI) for private key generation, due to using a key generation center (KGC). PS24 used hash-
based message authentication code (HMAC) and symmetric key encryption for SG components’
mutual authentication, according to which components’ authentication requires multiple proofs.
Hash-based approaches for authentication were deployed in PS3, PS8, PS11, and
PS27, accounting for 22.22% of systematically reviewed primary studies, and 14.81% of those
classified as cryptography-based. PS3 and PS8 used one-way hash function to address
vulnerability to impersonation attack and repudiation attack (respectively). PS11 and PS27 used
Merkle tree (a binary tree consisting of lead tokens, with each internal tree nodes being a hash
of the right and left child nodes) for robust SG component authentication.
Elliptic curve approaches were declared by four of the systematically reviewed studies:
PS15, PS35, PS37, and PS38. These accounted for 14.81% of selected primary studies, and
22.22% of cryptography-based techniques. PS15 used SM2 elliptical curve for SG components’
mutual authentication, initiated with the connection between terminals and the SG center. The
system monitored connections to detect time-out status, which prompted session closure. This
provide efficient and fast computation and limited power drag. PS18 used elliptic curve to address
limitations identified in [36] pertaining to perfect secrecy and vulnerability in terms of the
Canetti–Krawczyk model. Similarly, PS20 tested an improved version of an elliptic curve used in a
66,68
11,11 11,11 7,4 3,70
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Cryptography
approaches
Password
approaches
Hardware
approaches
Signature
approaches
Biometric
approaches
Frequency
Authentication approach

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previous study, in this case another primary paper: PS15. A lightweight elliptic curve technique
was proposed by PS21 that used third-party registration of participants in order to begin
authentication, with the authentication process ending after the exchange of the key session.
Diffie-Hellman authentication comprised 11.11% of systematically reviewed studies, and
16.66% of those using cryptography-based techniques (PS9, PS16, and PS17). Hashing code
and Diffie-Hellman exchange protocol was used in PS9 for mutual authentication and session
key sharing. Using Diffie-Hellman, PS16 apply the concept of discrete logarithm problems to
authenticate the transmitted messages. Similarly, advanced encryption standard (AES) and
Rivest, Shamir, and Adelman (RSA) encryption were used in conjunction with Diffie-Hellman
technique in PS17. Broadcast encryption and chaotic maps were used for key distribution only
in PS2 and PS25, respectively.
3.1.2. Password-Based Approaches
Password-based approaches were used for authentication in 11.11% of included studies
(PS4, PS13, and PS22). PS4 presented SCAPACH, a password-based authentication technique
that generates novel, short-lived passwords automatically when initiating every session of
authentication, using parameters including device ID, geographical location, and local time etc.
SG-MCPEAK protocol was tested in PS13, with symmetric keys for multilayer password
authentication. SSCA and PSCAb protocols of password authentication were tested in PS22, the
former of which deployed symmetric key encryption, while the latter used public key encryption.
3.1.3. Hardware-Based Approaches
Hardware-based approaches accounted for 11.11% of systematically reviewed studies
(PS10, PS12 and PS19). PS10 provided SG component authentication with improved data
processing performance, mobility, and security using a smart chip integrated with multiple
reliable crypto algorithms, including hash function and public and symmetric keys. Physically
Unclonable Function (PUF) was implemented with Xilinx Spartan 3E FPGA boards to provide
authentication using end-to-end hardware by PS12. Microprocessor integration with PUF offers
unique identity for SG component devices. In PS19, PUF was also used for a hardware solution
meeting the needs for Advanced Metering Infrastructures (AMIs) authentication.
3.1.4. Signature-Based Approaches
Signature-based authentication approaches accounted for 7.4% of included studies
(PS7and PS26). Individual signatures were created using Time-Valid One-Time-Signature
(TV-OTS) in PS7, with new secret keys periodically initiated by Hash of Random Subsets
(HORS). This authentication technique provided multicasting, secure, real-time, dynamic
authentication. While PS26 might be considered to be a hybrid technique of encryption, on
balance the reviewers classified it as a signature-based method due to the relative scarcity of
studies using signatures during authentication. PS26 deployed message authentication codes
(MAC) in addition to homomorphic signature for authentication, the latter of which signed data
packets when initiated at source, while MAC generated unique tags for every data packet.
3.1.5. Biometric-Based Approaches
Biometric-based approaches accounted for 3.7% of included studies. PS1 investigated
the use of multiple authentication approaches in modern networks, with AES for the privacy of
fingerprinting used in authentication of SG system users. Database storage of fingerprints
included categorization into rich minutiae and sparse fingerprint types.
3.2. Mitigated Threats (RQ2)
Answering RQ2 involved analyzing types of attacks and threats mitigated by the studied
authentication approaches. Table 6 lists the foremost varieties of attacks identified, which were
studied in terms of frequency and distribution. Figure 3 displays the mitigated attacks’ frequency
distribution. The most common types of attacks mitigated are, in descending order: MiTM, replay,
impersonation, eavesdropping, brute force, dictionary, spoofing, repudiation, and other. The ‘other;
category collectively accounts for 15%, denoting the fourth rank, but each constituent threat in this
group was considered in only one systematically reviewed study, comprising data forgery, DoS,
information leakage, insider, modification, pollution, and quantum computer.
With 21.66% of all attacks, MiTM was the most common mitigated attack. Some
analysts note that MiTM and impersonation attacks are fundamentally similar, but they were

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classified as distinct categories in this paper following the example of the taxonomies used by
most of the primary studies analyzed; for instance, PS6, PS14, PS15, PS16, and PS21 have
particular techniques of MiTM mitigation and others for impersonation attack. The latter was
also commonly studied in its own right by 16.66% of primary studies. For both impersonation
and MiTM attacks, the main aim of authentication is to prevent unauthorized (i.e. malicious)
components such as fake smart meters from imitating genuine components, in order to prevent
unauthorized access by third parties attempting to access SG components’ data during
exchange, to avoid damage including stopping or reducing the quality of SG network
performance, corrupting or dropping data packets, or initiating secondary attacks within the
system, such as DoS attacks and data flooding.
Replay attack comprised 18.36% of the total of identified attacks in included studies
(PS13, PS14, PS15, PS16, PS17, PS18, PS20, PS21, PS25, P26 and PS27). Authentication
approaches seeking to protect data transmission between SG components from replay attack
seek to prevent attackers intercepting, modifying and replaying data. Eavesdropping accounted
for 10% of attacks mitigated in included studies (PS4, PS5, PS12, PS15, PS17, and PS25),
seeking to protect data from attackers recording transmission or listening to data exchanged
between SG components, especially consumer applications and smart meters. Eavesdropping
is essentially an issue of system privacy and is particularly important where it relates to
attackers stealing sensitive data and customer identity, with potential for fraudulent use.
Table 6. Threats Mitigated using Authentication Approaches
S/N Reference Threat (attack)
mitigated
1 PS1 [16] Impersonation
2 PS2 [17] Information leakage by crackers
3 PS3 [18] Impersonation
4 PS4 [19] Eavesdropping, brute force
5 PS5 [20] Eavesdropping, MiTM
6 PS6 [21] MiTM, impersonation
7 PS7 [22] Brute force
8 PS8 [23] Repudiation
9 PS9 [24] Spoofing, MiTM
10 PS10 [25] Impersonation, data forgery
11 PS11 [26] Quantum computer
12 PS12 [27] Eavesdropping, spoofing, MiTM
13 PS13 [28] MiTM, off-line dictionary, replay
14 PS14 [29] Impersonation, MiTM, repudiation, replay
15 PS15 [30] Replay, impersonation, message injection, MiTM, eavesdropping
16 PS16 [31] Impersonation, MiTM, replay
17 PS17 [32] Replay, MiTM, eavesdropping
18 PS18 [33] Impersonation, MiTM, replay
19 PS19 [34] Spoofing
20 PS20 [35] Replay, modification, DoS, insider
21 PS21 [36] Replay, impersonation, MiTM
22 PS22 [31] Off-line dictionary
23 PS23 [37] MiTM
24 PS24 [38] Brute force, impersonation
25 PS25 [39] Eavesdropping, dictionary, replay
26 PS26 [40] Pollution (inject fake data packets), replay
27 PS27 [41] Replay, modification
Spoofing, dictionary, and brute force attacks each accounted for 5% of attacks
considered by the primary studies. SG entities used mutual authentication to avoid spoofing
attacks, inhibiting attackers from accessing encryption (and/ or decryption) keys, and from
disrupting authentication mechanisms. Dictionary and brute force attacks were mitigated using
passwords for authentication between SG components and users, including utility companies,
data aggregation points, and gateways. Tables are typically used to store passwords, with
related authentication approaches preventing unauthorized access. Other attacks collectively
accounted for 15% of attacks mitigated, comprising data forgery, DoS, information leakage,
insider, modification, pollution, and quantum computer attacks.

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Figure 3. Frequency distribution of threats mitigation in smart grid
4. Conclusion
A total of 27 primary studies were systematically reviewed in this study, revealing that
most researches deployed cryptographic techniques for SG component authentication, including
hash function, symmetric key encryption, and Diffie-Hellman. The most common attack
mitigated by the approaches was MiTM (21.66%), with impersonation attack being the third
most common (16.66%). In both of these attack types, SG authentication approaches seek to
inhibit access by impostor smart meters and thus prevent unauthorized third party access to
data exchanged within the SG, avoiding damage including corrupting or dropping data packets.
The second most common attack was replay attack (18.33%), followed by
eavesdropping (10%), which pertain to protecting customer identity and avoiding fraudulent use
or manipulation of consumer data. Brute force, dictionary, and spoofing attacks each comprised
5% of attacks considered in systematically reviewed studies, while small numbers of studies
considered other forms of attack (e.g. modification, insider, pollution, data forgery, DoS,
information leakage, and quantum computer), collectively accounting 15%. While this research
accomplished its objectives, it was limited by the relatively small number of directly relevant
papers, and replication of this research with more extensive studies addressing new research
questions concerning privacy and security attributes are recommended, to increase in-depth
knowledge of SG security.
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