Smart Grids Secured By Dynamic Watermarking: How Secure?

TL;DR

This paper examines the security of smart grids secured by dynamic watermarking, revealing that watermarking alone cannot ensure unconditional security without unconditionally secure communication channels.

Contribution

It analyzes the limitations of watermarking for smart grid security and discusses the necessity of unconditionally secure communication for true security.

Findings

Watermarking cannot guarantee unconditional security alone.

Successful attacks persist despite internal noise.

Unconditional security requires secure communication channels.

Abstract

Unconditional security for smart grids is defined. Cryptanalyses of the watermarked security of smart grids indicate that watermarking cannot guarantee unconditional security unless the communication within the grid system is unconditionally secure. The successful attack against the dynamically watermarked smart grid remains valid even with the presence of internal noise from the grid. An open question arises: if unconditionally authenticated secure communications within the grid, together with tamper resistance of the critical elements, are satisfactory conditions to provide unconditional security for the grid operation.