Steca - Security Threats, Effects And Criticality Analysis: Definition And Application To Smart Grids

The reliability of electrical power systems, since their first use, has been addressed focusing on ensuring the continuous power supply and on the management of critical situations in order to avoid electrical disruption due to potential failures. In the last decade, we are witnessing the increasing development of Smart Grids, with €3.15 billion investment in Smart Grids projects amongst the EU-28 Member States only in the period 2002–2014 [1]. Smart Grids enhance the classical electrical systems by introducing optimization of grid management, both from transmission and quick reaction to power disruption through real-time and automated technologies; deploying and integrating of large-scale renewable energy systems; reducing management and power costs, for final users; and introducing and integrating of smart appliances and consumer devices. While these new aspects make the electrical systems effective, they become more and more interconnected thus making them vulnerable to cyber and physical attacks [2–4]. Indeed, it is possible to remotely perform changes (e.g., to instructions, commands and configurations), disabling actions, shut down or in general interfere with the proper functioning of the system, thus causing in the worst case significant damages and safety issues [3, 5].