An Experimental Research on Impacts of Malicious Attacks on PMU in Smart Grids

Phasor measurement units (PMUs) has been playing a significant role in current and next generation synchrophasor systems in smart grids. However, the PMU lacking security design consideration also brings a number of potential vulnerabilities and cyber threats from malicious attackers, which may cause false situational awareness. In this paper, an experimental research has been carried out that demonstrates the impacts of malicious attacks on the PMUs in smart grids. The topology of simulated attack environment is proposed and the physical test-bed with network attack environment is set up including the mainstream PMUs. The cyber-attack tests are taken such as communication deception and global position system (GPS) signal interference. The results of experimental research have exposed the vulnerabilities and problems of PMU in the face of malicious attacks, and provided the research foundation for further cybersecurity defense for wide are measurement system (WAMS) in smart grids.