Hack-Proof Smart Meters?

Smart meters help utilities measure consumption and obtain other useful data, but since they are inter-connected, they can also provide a keyhole that hackers can exploit to gain entry into the overall system.  There is actually a documented occurrence of this – in 2009, a wide swath of smart meters was hacked in Puerto Rico which led to power theft and fraudulent bills.  The good news is that a solution to this problem appears to be on the horizon. 

Improving the Security of Smart Meters

Cybersecurity researcher Karthik Pattabiraman has developed an automated software program that holds promise for hack-proofing smart meters.  His team created a smart meter model and then unleased a plethora of different types of cyber-attacks on it to identify vulnerabilities.  The simulated system hacking was both “design level” (physically tampering with a meter) and “code-level” (accessing the code over the internet).  The research revealed that at least 12 different types of attacks on smart meters are possible. 

Generally speaking, the attacks can prevent the meter from sending data, or can cause the meter to send erroneous data.  From the customer perspective, a compromised meter could deactivate alarm systems or even cause house fires.  The scariest part of this, according to Pattabiraman, is that the equipment necessary to execute the attacks can be purchased for under $50 and does not require any type of special expertise. 

Pattabiraman encourages meter manufacturers to use the results of this research to perfect their designs, from both a code- and design-level security perspective, before they reach the market.  Given that the smart meter market is projected to exceed 588 million units in 3 years, it will be critical for the manufacturers to take security seriously and be held accountable for flaws that enable breaches.  If the manufacturers drop the ball and continue to deliver smart meters that are easily compromised, utility emergency preparedness will be that much more difficult.