The vast amounts of data and the growing number of attacks in the smart grids (SGs) are consequences of the huge reliance on information and communication technology, that is further posing serious risks to the confidentiality and integrity of the power data. On the other hand, recent advancements in quantum cryptography are emerging as foundation for secure communication protocols, offering robust defenses against potential cyber threats in SGs. In response to the imperative challenge of secure data transmission, a quantum cryptography based unconditionally secure data transmission model is proposed that integrates quantum key distribution (QKD) with classical encryption. Furthermore, truly random encryption keys generated through quantum random number generator (QRNG) are utilized that assists to overcome the limitations of pseudo-random number generator and leads to the highly immune data security mechanism. The efficacy of proposed model is evaluated through experimental results obtained over classical simulator along with real quantum computers accessed through the IBM Qiskit platform. The statistical analysis conducted on the resulting quantum states showcases a high degree of accurate measurements, thereby confirming the relevance of the proposed work.
The vast amounts of data and the growing number of attacks in the smart grids (SGs) are consequences of the huge reliance on information and communication technology, that is further posing serious risks to the confidentiality and integrity of the power data. On the other hand, recent advancements in quantum cryptography are emerging as foundation for secure communication protocols, offering robust defenses against potential cyber threats in SGs. In response to the imperative challenge of secure data transmission, a quantum cryptography based unconditionally secure data transmission model is proposed that integrates quantum key distribution (QKD) with classical encryption. Furthermore, truly random encryption keys generated through quantum random number generator (QRNG) are utilized that assists to overcome the limitations of pseudo-random number generator and leads to the highly immune data security mechanism. The efficacy of proposed model is evaluated through experimental results obtained over classical simulator along with real quantum computers accessed through the IBM Qiskit platform. The statistical analysis conducted on the resulting quantum states showcases a high degree of accurate measurements, thereby confirming the relevance of the proposed work.
The security of data communication in Smart Grids (SGs) is traditionally reliant on cryptosystems based on the computational difficulty of certain mathematical problems. However, the advent of quantum computers, with their unparalleled computational power, threatens the robustness of classical cryptographic methods. Despite significant research into quantum-secure solutions, limited attention has been given to quantum-based security in SGs. To address these emerging security challenges, this paper proposes a quantum-based multifaceted secure communication model (Qu-MCM) for SGs, offering unconditional security by leveraging quantum mechanical principles. The key contributions include: quantum encryption of power consumption data using truly random keys, a quantum-secure key exchange protocol between power users and utility suppliers, and data authentication and integrity verification through quantum fingerprinting. The model is experimentally evaluated via simulations on classical computer and actual quantum hardware using the IBM Qiskit platform. The experimental results show that the encryption algorithm achieves an accuracy of 81.73%, while the authentication algorithm reaches 87.4% through a probability distribution graph where accuracy signifies the dominance of correct outputs. The results demonstrate the validity of the proposed model, with a comprehensive security analysis confirming its perfect security, where perfect security is defined as the maximally mixed states achieved after encryption that is impossible to break for an eavesdropper equipped with quantum resources.
The rise of the smart grid, which applies the Internet and smart metering technologies to the power system, results in massive, heterogeneous power data and a large number of attacks on the smart grid and causes great threats to the confidentiality and integrity of the power data. At the same time, with the development of quantum information, it is possible to use quantum cryptography to protect data transmission. Aiming at the problem of data security transmission in smart grid, this paper proposes a lightweight transmission scheme for power data security. In the scheme, we combine quantum cryptography with ”one-time pad” mechanism, use a quantum random number generator which compensates the defects of the traditional random number generator and quantum key distribution protocol which ensure the security of key distribution, and design a new lightweight stream cipher encryption algorithm. Through theoretical analysis and experiments, it is proved that the proposed transmission scheme can ensure the security of power data transmission.
The intermittent communication of power usage information in smart grids (SGs) is highly susceptible to potential cyberattacks, which is protected by classical public-key cryptosystems. However, recent advancements in the field of quantum computing have rendered these cryptosystems trivially insecure, triggering the immediate requirement for a highly resilient data communication scheme. This paper addresses the above-mentioned issue by designing a Quantum Encryption and Quantum Fourier Transformation (QFT) based secure data communication and aggregation model (QC-EAM) for SG environments. QC-EAM enables the power consumption data of the users to be encrypted using truly random encryption keys, ensuring unconditional security, while group homomorphism of Clifford Gates is utilized to achieve homomorphic evaluation of the encrypted quantum states. Moreover, a quantum-based data aggregation circuit is developed that performs QFT over the encrypted quantum states, yielding a secure and aggregated state. Furthermore, entanglement swaps-based quantum networking is considered as an enabling infrastructure for the proposed scenario, ensuring preservation of highly susceptible quantum states. The experimental evaluation of QC-EAM is achieved through classical computer-based simulations and tested on actual quantum system, provisioned through the IBM Qiskit platform. Statistical measurements of quantum circuits yield significantly accurate results, proving the validity of QC-EAM. Moreover, a thorough security analysis is also provided that confirms the perfect security achieved through maximally mixed states.
ABSTRACT Smart grids, as critical Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) applications, demand highly secure data transmission due to their reliance on interconnected devices and networks for managing electricity. Traditional encryption methods face challenges in secure key distribution and are increasingly vulnerable to quantum attacks. This work addresses these vulnerabilities by utilizing quantum cryptography to secure data exchange in smart grid systems. The primary contributions are the implementation of multi‐level encryption algorithms, specifically Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and the BB84 protocol, to ensure robust confidentiality and integrity in data transmission, overcoming key distribution issues and providing inherent detection of eavesdropping. Our proposed system facilitates secured, real‐time monitoring, control, and optimization of electricity generation, distribution, and consumption among distributed components. The performance of this framework is evaluated based on key metrics including relative execution time, correlation analysis of plaintext versus ciphertext, and privacy amplification effectiveness, demonstrating enhanced security and operational efficiency.
The Smart Grid (SG) represents the next-generation power system in the future grid infrastructure, designed for self-healing, adaptability, and sustainability. However, the interconnected and geographically dispersed nature of SG systems introduces cybersecurity risks, potentially leading to severe incidents. Cyber attacks on SG applications could result in significant events, including outages and infrastructure damage. These attacks may compromise energy data, starting with the leakage of personal information from grid members. To address these risks, confidentiality, device authentication, and data integrity are essential, traditionally implemented through public-key cryptography (PKC). The rise of quantum computers and the potential adaptation of algorithms like Shor’s poses a threat to PKC algorithms in SG communications. In response, we propose a security protocol for post-quantum communication in SG applications, ensuring resilience against classical and quantum attacks. The protocol has been tested through rigorous informal security analysis, and comparative analysis demonstrates its scalability and effectiveness in real-world scenarios.
The recent advancement of smart grid systems, integrating cyber-physical systems with information and communication technologies enables real-time monitoring, control, and data transmission. However, these operations often inherently insecure communication infrastructures increasing exposure to cyber threats and data breaches. Consequently, cryptographic authenticated and key agreement protocols address cyber-attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities to protect data privacy and security in smart grid. Meanwhile, quantum computing progression is rapidly footprinted in real-world application thus quantum computing-based Grover's and Shor’s algorithm is capable for breaking classical cryptographic algorithms mathematical advances. Therefore, this review explores the adaptability of quantum computing, examines its impact on classical cryptography vulnerabilities, and highlights the role of quantum cryptography in enhancing security and scalability of smart grid cyber-physical systems. Accordingly, a comparative analysis was conducted to assess the security and performance of Rivest-Shamir Adleman, elliptic curve cryptography and digital signature algorithms against quantum cryptography for highlighting their respective strengths and limitations in quantum era context. This review provides a foundation of future researchers for integrate quantum technology and develop quantum-resilient solutions that overcome the constraints of classical cryptography.