A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers

In the evolving landscape of critical infrastructure security, the increasing sophistication of cyber threats poses challenges, particularly to the power grid’s new technology infrastructure. Despite traditionally being considered passive elements, power transformers, as critical componen...

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Main Authors: Hossein Rahimpour, Joe Tusek, Ahmed S. Musleh, Boyu Liu, Alsharif Abuadbba, Toan Phung, Aruna Seneviratne
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2024-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10804107/
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author Hossein Rahimpour
Joe Tusek
Ahmed S. Musleh
Boyu Liu
Alsharif Abuadbba
Toan Phung
Aruna Seneviratne
author_facet Hossein Rahimpour
Joe Tusek
Ahmed S. Musleh
Boyu Liu
Alsharif Abuadbba
Toan Phung
Aruna Seneviratne
author_sort Hossein Rahimpour
collection DOAJ
description In the evolving landscape of critical infrastructure security, the increasing sophistication of cyber threats poses challenges, particularly to the power grid’s new technology infrastructure. Despite traditionally being considered passive elements, power transformers, as critical components of the grid, are now equipped with smart technologies and intelligent monitoring systems. These enhancements, while beneficial for asset management, inadvertently increase their vulnerability to cyber threats. Existing literature predominantly focuses on the cybersecurity of smart grids, mainly utilising model-based detection methods. Yet, there’s a noticeable gap in research on the cybersecurity of critical power components, notably power transformers, within the network. Our paper addresses this oversight by pioneering the examination of cybersecurity challenges presented by smart transformers. We introduce a comprehensive architecture and a well-formed taxonomy of cyber-physical attacks relevant to smart transformers. We present a detailed analysis of smart transformers’ topology, identifying vulnerable components and illustrating the ramifications of cybersecurity breaches. Finally, we discuss potential future cybersecurity challenges facing smart transformers. Our findings underscore the need for integrating advanced cybersecurity measures into the development of online condition monitoring systems, safeguarding power transformers against evolving cyber threats while paving the way for more resilient power grids.
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spelling doaj-art-2a8cf402a72f47ca87f169fbac6a46182025-08-20T02:00:10ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362024-01-011219397219399610.1109/ACCESS.2024.351849410804107A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power TransformersHossein Rahimpour0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4263-2498Joe Tusek1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3596-2923Ahmed S. Musleh2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5784-1842Boyu Liu3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1634-6415Alsharif Abuadbba4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9695-7947Toan Phung5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4079-5835Aruna Seneviratne6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6894-7987School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaAmpcontrol, Warabrook, NSW, AustraliaAmpcontrol, Warabrook, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaCSIRO’s Data61, Marsfield, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaIn the evolving landscape of critical infrastructure security, the increasing sophistication of cyber threats poses challenges, particularly to the power grid’s new technology infrastructure. Despite traditionally being considered passive elements, power transformers, as critical components of the grid, are now equipped with smart technologies and intelligent monitoring systems. These enhancements, while beneficial for asset management, inadvertently increase their vulnerability to cyber threats. Existing literature predominantly focuses on the cybersecurity of smart grids, mainly utilising model-based detection methods. Yet, there’s a noticeable gap in research on the cybersecurity of critical power components, notably power transformers, within the network. Our paper addresses this oversight by pioneering the examination of cybersecurity challenges presented by smart transformers. We introduce a comprehensive architecture and a well-formed taxonomy of cyber-physical attacks relevant to smart transformers. We present a detailed analysis of smart transformers’ topology, identifying vulnerable components and illustrating the ramifications of cybersecurity breaches. Finally, we discuss potential future cybersecurity challenges facing smart transformers. Our findings underscore the need for integrating advanced cybersecurity measures into the development of online condition monitoring systems, safeguarding power transformers against evolving cyber threats while paving the way for more resilient power grids.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10804107/Cyber attackcybersecuritydetection algorithmintrusion detection systemonline condition monitoringpower transformer
spellingShingle Hossein Rahimpour
Joe Tusek
Ahmed S. Musleh
Boyu Liu
Alsharif Abuadbba
Toan Phung
Aruna Seneviratne
A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers
IEEE Access
Cyber attack
cybersecurity
detection algorithm
intrusion detection system
online condition monitoring
power transformer
title A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers
title_full A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers
title_fullStr A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers
title_full_unstemmed A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers
title_short A Review of Cybersecurity Challenges in Smart Power Transformers
title_sort review of cybersecurity challenges in smart power transformers
topic Cyber attack
cybersecurity
detection algorithm
intrusion detection system
online condition monitoring
power transformer
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10804107/
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