Lightweight Authentication Protocol in Edge-based Smart Grid Environment

Abstract A smart grid (SG) is an advanced power grid system deployed in a cloud center and smart meters (at the consumer end) that provides higher reliability, better data protection, improved power efficiency, automatic monitoring, and effective management of power consumption. However, an SG also poses certain challenges that need to be addressed. For example, data provided by a smart meter are time-sensitive and cannot handle high latency in an SG. Moreover, a smart meter depends on memory, energy, and other factors. Besides, the security between a cloud center and a smart meter is a critical issue that needs to be resolved. Edge computing, an extension of cloud computing deployed in an edge network between a cloud center and the end devices, is an efficient solution to the aforementioned issues. Therefore, in this study, we propose a secure mutual authentication protocol based on edge computing for use in an SG.