SmartGrid technology allows utilities to efficiently manage their electricity distribution network, and provides consumers with real-time control of any power-consuming device in their homes.
While some early approaches to SmartGrid applications was based on non-standard communication technology, there is a trend to move to "all-IP" SmartGrid architectures. IP-based networks are easier to manage, easier to extend for new applications and provides more flexibility to utilities and consumers when choosing from multiple vendors.
IP-based networks also mean more "open" networks, which require strong security mechanisms to avoid external attacks.
DS2 takes security very seriously, and that's why we have included support for Advanced Encryption Security (AES) in all our our latest products. Specifically, DS2 products implement AES-128 and AES-256. The length of the encryption key in AES-256 is 256 bit. Key length is important, as it's the main barrier to brute-force attacks. Wikipedia provides a good overview of the security levels provided by different key lengths:
DES has been replaced in many applications by Triple DES, which has 112 bits of security with 168-bit keys.
The Advanced Encryption Standard published in 2001 uses a key size of (at minimum) 128 bits. It also can use keys up to 256 bits (a specification requirement for submissions to the AES contest). 128 bits is currently thought, by many observers, to be sufficient for the foreseeable future for symmetric algorithms of AES's quality. The U.S. Government requires 192 or 256-bit AES keys for highly sensitive data.
In 2003 the U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology, NIST, proposed that 80-bit keys should be phased out by 2015. As of 2005, 80-bit keys were allowed to be used only until 2010.
By using 256-bit AES encryption, DS2 products provide the strongest encryption available today in any powerline communications product.
| Request more information on DS2's products for secure IP-based SmartGrid applications |
Comments