The modernized Smart Grid (SG) is expected to enable several new applications such as dynamic pricing, demand response and fraud detection; however, collection of such fine-grained data raises privacy issues. This project aims to design and implement several novel mechanisms for securing data collection and communication in SG Advanced Metering Infrastructure applications while preserving user privacy when the data are to be accessed. The underlying communication infrastructure, namely Neighborhood Area Networks, is to be built with wireless mesh networks using the IEEE 802.11s, an IEEE 802.11 amendment for mesh networking. The project investigates user privacy preservation mechanisms using partially and fully homomorphic encryption during data collection in the Neighborhood Area Networks. For the collected data at the data repository, attribute-based access control mechanisms are studied. As part of these access control mechanisms, novel scalable key establishment and group key management schemes are investigated. A testbed consisting of IEEE 802.11 Linux routers is part of the project to assess the overhead of privacy mechanisms under quality of service constraints. The testbed will be a community resource for researchers, educators and students as well as utility companies interested in SG communications and privacy. Ensuring practical user privacy solutions will increase the participation of customers in SG applications saving cost and energy. The testbed will be a great help to utilities, researchers and educators who work on SG communications. The software and technical manuals will be made available as open-source documents. New graduate courses on the Smart Grid will be introduced into the academic curriculum.
