Three-Layers Secure Access Control for Cloud-Based Smart Grids

Cloud computing is an Internet-based computing paradigm which may share resources to provide on-demand services to devices. Integrating smart grid into cloud computing is emerging and promising, and this integration may execute in the cloud based hierarchical multi-user data-shared environment, where security issues such as data confidentiality and manager authority may arise in the smart grid system. In order to provide safe and secure grid operations, a hierarchical access control method using modified hierarchical attribute-based encryption (M-HABE) and a modified three layers structure are proposed in this paper. In power grids, the system can be controlled and monitored by the enormous sensitive data which may be from sensor nodes, smart measurement units and soon on. The novel scheme mainly focus on the data process, storage and access to ensure the managers with legal authorities to get corresponding sensitive data and restrict illegal managers and unauthorized legal managers from accessing the data.