Cyber Security in Control of Grid-Tied Power Electronic Converters—Challenges and Vulnerabilities

Grid tied power electronic converters are key enabling technologies for interfacing renewable energy sources, energy storage, electrical vehicles, microgrids and high voltage dc transmission lines with the electrical power grid. As number of power converters in modern grids continually increase, their monitoring and coordinated control in a way to support the grid have become topics of increased practical and research interest. In connection with this, latest standards have also defined mandatory set of control parameters for grid-tied converters, which should be adjustable by a remote entity that sends commands through a communication network. While such remote control capability allows many new control functions in grid tied converters, it also renders them vulnerable to cyber attacks. The aim of this paper is first to shed light on portions of the power converter control systems that are vulnerable to cyber attacks. Next, typical cyber-attacks are overviewed by considering different applications of grid-tied converters. Further, the impact of different types of cyber attacks on grid support functions is studied. Finally, the paper is concluded with summary and recommendation for further research.