For the critical infrastructure sector, especially Power & Energy, the potential consequences of a security breach can be devastating. With rapid digital transformation and adoption of smart meters in smart grids, due emphasis is being given to securing the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI).
One of the largest electric energy companies in the Middle East, that dominates the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power in its country, has begun the installation of millions of smart meters. Cited as the ‘world’s most ambitious smart meter project’, this AMI project aims to regulate consumption patterns and reduce power wastage using IoT-based smart grids while improving system stability, reliability, and transparency.
Nexus has been selected to provide a key management system (KMS) that enhances the security of this pioneering Smart Metering Project. Nexus Smart ID for IoT solution will provide PKI-based trusted identities to the smart meters, head-end systems, data concentration units (DCUs), hand-held units (HHUs), and Smart Meter Operations Control (SMOC) systems from smart grid solution vendors such as Schneider, NARI, China Electric Power Equipment and Technology (CET), and Oracle. Assigning trusted identities to devices on the smart grid based on open standards such as SCEP, EST, EST over secure CoAP (EST-coaps), REST, ACME, and CMP provides end-to-end security between the devices. This guarantees trustworthiness and high availability of the smart grid.
The Smart ID for IoT solution provides a hybrid KMS scheme for AMI by combining symmetric key algorithms for authenticated encryption and key transfer, and asymmetric key algorithms (public key infrastructure) for digital signature and key agreement – fully compliant to the DLMS Security Suites 0, 1, and 2.
“Securing the smart grid for one of the largest electricity projects in the Middle East strengthens Nexus’ position as the preferred identity partner for IoT,” says Tejas Lagad, Director at Nexus for Asia Pacific.
Nexus collaborated with Emircom on this project. “We chose Nexus due to their proven experience in the energy sector and our previous experience in working with their highly skilled and professional team. This is a strategic project for Emircom, and with Nexus we know our customer is in safe hands,” elaborates Mohammed Shakeer, General Manager, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at Emircom.
Published
16/02 2021
More Information
The security challenges faced by the players in the Energy sector has led many to rely on advanced Public-Key Infrastructure (PKI) technology. PKI platforms help secure digital transformation and security enhancement. Giving trusted identities to devices in the smart grid provides end-to-end security between the devices and/or to an IoT platform to help guarantee trustworthiness and high availability of the network energy system.
Protect Energy IoT trusted identities with Nexus Smart ID IoT!