Firewall Configuration and Path Analysis for SmartGrid Networks

Firewalls are needed in electrical utility companies to protect their substations, control centers, and their communication with the balancing authorities. Firewalls also allow the creation of demilitarized zones (DMZ's) in the utilities, where information about the utility's operation can be accessed by the corporate network and outside contractors. As an additional step in creating a cyber topology for a synthetic power system, in this paper we model an electrical utility and the main data flows in and out of its control center. This allows the creation of use cases and firewall rules for each case. The path of selected use cases are analyzed in terms of open ports and risk level.