A Comprehensive Review of Cybersecurity in Inverter-Based Smart Power System Amid the Boom of Renewable Energy

Abstract

The blossom of renewable energy worldwide and its uncertain nature have driven the need for a more intelligent power system with the deep integration of smart power electronics. The smart inverter is one of the most critical components for the optimal operation of Smart Grid. However, due to the deep information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure implementation that most inverter-based smart power systems tend to have, they are vulnerable to severe external threats such as cyberattacks by hackers. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the system structure and vulnerabilities of typical inverter-based power system with distributed energy resources (DERs) integration, nature of several types of cyberattacks, state-of-the-art defense strategies including several detection and mitigation techniques, and an overview and comparison of testbed and simulation tools applicable for cyber-physical research. Finally, challenges, unsolved problems, and future direction of the field are discussed and concluded at the end of the journal. This paper provides an all-inclusive survey at the state of the art smart grid cybersecurity research and paves the path for potential research topics in the future.