Vulnerabilities and countermeasures in electrical substations

The impending and continued threat of cyberattacks on modern utility grids has called for action from the different stakeholders of the electricity sector. This calls for a thorough investigation and review of the weaknesses present in the distribution substations – the backbone of the grid – that can attract attackers to achieve their malicious objectives. The present survey deals with this issue and identifies both the common and specific vulnerabilities present in substations that can be exploited by potential attackers. This work approaches the topic, for the first time, from an attacker's perspective, in order to categorize the possible attack vectors that could be used to first access the substation network, and then disrupt the substation operations under the purview of IEC standards. The reported literature in the field was critically analyzed from an attacker's perspective to highlight the potential threats that can become a liability in cyberattacks on substations. Countermeasures pertaining to these cyberattacks are then detailed and the main elements required for a comprehensive electrical substation cybersecurity solution are finally outlined.