FALCON based Quantum Attack Secure Digital Signature Scheme for IEC 61850 GOOSE Messages

The integration of digital technologies in substations offers numerous advantages, including real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and enhanced operational efficiency. However, increased automation also introduces cybersecurity vulnerabilities, particularly in protocols like IEC 61850, notably in the Generic Object-Oriented Substation Event (GOOSE) message. Although IEC 62351-6:2020 suggests security measures employing Hash-based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) and Galois Message Authentication Code (GMAC) for lower computational overhead, their reliance on symmetric key-based encryption poses challenges in key distribution. Moreover, with the advent of quantum computing, it becomes imperative for security schemes to be quantum attack resistant. This paper proposes usage of quantum-secure FALCON-based digital signature scheme (FDSS) to secure GOOSE messages. FALCON offers robust security against quantum attacks while maintaining efficient performance. The performance evaluation of FDSS for GOOSE messages is presented, demonstrating its viability for securing time-sensitive GOOSE messages.