Securing the Grids Transmission and Distribution System 96 Risks and Gap Analysis

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Presented at Amphion Forum DC 2012 by

Phil Mar

This presentation focuses on an analysis of the security risks to the smart grid infrastructure. In the past few years, the smart grid deployment has focused on the roll out of AMI. Disparate AMI security solutions potentially provide a pathway for attackers to exploit the Transmission and Distribution (T&D) system. As the T&D systems become more networked and automated, sophisticated adversaries are more interested in attacking the system as a whole. The assessment of the risks, the availability of technologies, and the function of the system are quite different from the traditional IT networks. A gap analysis, on both technology and investment strategy is crucial to secure the most critical infrastructure that impacts every citizen92s daily life. Security cannot be an afterthought to any communications or control systems. Therefore, a thoughtful and phased approach to security is essential as the nation upgrading its aging T&D system.