Node Authentication and Key Generation/Update Protocol and data Integrity Verification for Safety Communication in Smart Grid Environment

Background/Objectives: These days, IoT (Internet of Things) based devices and services, such as sensors and smart devices, are on the increase. And, there have been many studies on the smart grid platforms which has the structure enabling users to generate, demand, and distribute electricity directly, including solar power generation or electric cars. Since smart grid uses the existing IT infrastructure as it is, the platform has security vulnerabilities of the IT infrastructure and need to have security measures. Methods/Statistical analysis: In the proposed method of this study, a session key is generated through Server-DCU-Smart Meter authentication in order for safe communication in the smart grid environment. A group key is generated through authentication in order to make possible group communication between multiple nodes, and it is possible to join and leave a group. In order for the safety of a session key, a key is updated constantly with an IV (Initial Vector) value. In order for the integrity verification of the data in transmission, the hash tree using the hash values of the data in transmission is applied. Findings: Safety and performance analysis was conducted between the proposed protocol and the IEEE802.1x standard protocol which is applied to node authentication in the conventional wired and wireless communication environment. The proposed protocol completed authentication through three times of Handshake. Regarding performance evaluation, there was a difference in the authentication process speed of about 88.7 ms per authentication. Improvements/Applications: In the future, it will be necessary to research not only Server–DCU–Smart Meter authentication, but user authentication and device authentication between devices, sensors, and Smart Meter in the HAN (Home Area Network), and to study safety and security in data transmission.