Smart grid & security: Protecting the cyberphysical systems

THERE IS A MAJOR GROWTH IN electrical and computer engineering research focused squarely on what has become known as the smart grid. While formal definitions of the smart grid do exist, the concept has grown to include technologies that span virtually all areas of electrical and computer engineering impacting energy sustainability, consumer response, electrification of transportation, and related areas. This is primarily due to the strong dependence on communication, control, and computing capabilities that support new growth in electric power and energy resources and technologies. The emergence of cyberphysical systems broadly captures the essence of this interdependence and has provided a rich theoretical basis for characterizing the challenges associated with maintaining critical assets while optimizing performance.