Cybersecurity Incident Management Framework for Smart Grid Systems in Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2024-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Merging OT and IT into smart grid systems brought along new advantages. Smart grids will be able to use this amalgamation to manage energy generation and transmission with minimal loss of energy, a factor that results in high efficiency. Besides that, integrating IT and OT into the smart grid presents real-time infrastructure management monitoring. On the other hand, this digital change subjected smart grids to many cybersecurity threats. This will be achieved by developing and implementing stable cybersecurity incident management systems to secure key infrastructures. Based on evidence from existing literature and expert judgments, this paper enumerates the principal challenges power utilities face in managing cybersecurity incidents. Then, it outlines a comprehensive cybersecurity incident management framework. This framework will, hence, enable power utilities to take on an active role and deal with relevant powers regarding cybersecurity incidents. Also, the model ensures that cybersecurity, concerning all strategic, engineering, procurement, construction, and operational aspects and involving all parties and resources concerned, is put together systematically. The underlying design science qualitative approach facilitated the development of this framework. It organizes sophisticated threat detection techniques and counter-threat strategies and correlates with Risk Management, Threat Analysis, Security Controls, Operational Models, and Management. They also involve real-time network traffic and system log monitoring, anomaly detection algorithms, intrusion detection, and prevention systems. Power utilities will significantly improve the ability to effectively detect and respond to cybersecurity-related events. The following threat scenarios, including organized DDoS and ransomware attacks as a taxonomy against the various components of the proposed framework, show how these smart grid technologies mentioned above can be used to develop effective solutions in response to cyber security incidents. It is indeed a systematic framework; it gives good advice. The recommendations will target particular challenge areas within the electric power industry and underpin its cybersecurity posture, with a view that our critical energy infrastructure will be reliable and capable of being counted upon in grace. This research encourages sustainable development and social welfare by resilience in cybersecurity for smart grid systems.
Description
Keywords
Cybersecurity, Incident Management framework, Smart Grid, Operational technologies (OT), Information Technology (IT), Threat Scenarios