Thomas Nicol

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: Smart Grid Privacy Vulnerabilities

Date: 09-13-2010

Abstract:

Advanced techniques of non-­‐intrusive load monitoring (NILM) can provide power consumers with opportunities to easily and accurately track their own energy usage. However, opportunities have a down side. Since detailed monitoring only requires information about the overall power draw over a period of time, any such source of information may be used for other than intended purposes. While some legal protection exists for personal information reported to a utility, and digital defenses make it difficult for unauthorized parties to obtain meter data, such measures are not infallible – and do not prevent abuse by the utility itself, nor the furtive installation of a monitoring device outside of a residence, place of business, embassy, etc. Therefore, there is a need to develop effective means of protection from such “non-­‐intrusive” intrusions and remove personally revealing information from the power signal altogether.

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