Integrating Hardware Security into a Blockchain-Based Transactive Energy Platform

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel hardware security framework integrated with blockchain for grid-edge devices, enhancing cyber-security and key management in transactive energy platforms.

Contribution

It introduces the Cryptographic Trust Center chip and Eco-Secure Provisioning process for unified cryptographic key management across diverse devices.

Findings

Successful integration of CTC into blockchain-based TE platform

Improved security and uniformity in device network management

Resolution of cyber-security gaps in Hyperledger Fabric

Abstract

This applied research paper introduces a novel framework for integrating hardware security and blockchain functionality with grid-edge devices to establish a distributed cyber-security mechanism that verifies the provenance of messages to and from the devices. Expanding the idea of Two Factor Authentication and Hardware Root of Trust, this work describes the development of a Cryptographic Trust Center(TM) (CTC(TM)) chip integrated into grid-edge devices to create uniform cryptographic key management. Product managers, energy system designers, and security architects can utilize this modular framework as a unified approach to manage distributed devices of various vendors, vintages, and sizes. Results demonstrate the application of CTC(TM) to a blockchain-based Transactive Energy (TE) platform for provisioning of cryptographic keys and improved uniformity of the operational network and data management. This process of configuring, installing, and maintaining keys is described as Eco-Secure Provisioning(TM) (ESP(TM)). Laboratory test results show the approach can resolve several cyber-security gaps in common blockchain frameworks such as Hyperledger Fabric.