Cybersecurity Threats to Power Grid Operations from the Demand-Side Response Ecosystem
This talk will highlight the cyber security threats from IoT-enabled energy smart appliances (ESAs) such as smart heat pumps, electric vehicle chargers, etc., to power grid operations. It will present an analysis of the demand side threats, including (i) an overview of the vulnerabilities in ESAs and the wider risk from the demand-side response (DSR) ecosystem, (ii) key factors influencing the attack impact on power grid operations, (iii) measures to improve the cyber-physical resilience of power grids, putting them in the context of ongoing efforts from the industry and regulatory bodies worldwide.
Overview
Presenters
Subhash Lakshminarayana, Associate Professor, University of Warwick, UK
Brief Biography
Subhash Lakshminarayana is an Associate Professor at the University of Warwick, UK and currently a visiting Associate Professor at KAUST. His research interests focus on cybersecurity and the resilience of power grids, and the application of machine learning techniques for power grid security, optimization, and control. His work has garnered several awards, including the Best Conference Paper Award at IEEE SmartGridComm 2024 and recognition as one of the Top 5 papers published in IEEE Transactions on Smart Grids for 2021-22. He is a Senior Member of IEEE and an Associate Editor for leading journals, such as IEEE Transactions on Smart Grids, IEEE Internet of Things and IET Smart Grid. His work is funded by EPSRC, Innovate UK, and Horizon EU. Grants. He is a member of the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ’s) “Security Working Group” under the Smart Secure Electricity Systems (SSES) program.