On detection of cyber attacks against voltage control in distribution power grids

In this paper, we consider the impact of cyber attacks on voltage regulation in distribution systems. We employ a centralized control scheme which utilizes voltage measurements from sectionizing switches equipped with sensors for connecting distributed generation. Through detailed case studies by simulations, it is demonstrated that if measurements are falsified by an attacker, voltage violation can occur in the system. However, by equipping the control with a detection algorithm, we verify that the damage can be limited especially when the number of attacked sensors is small. Further discussion is provided on how to enhance the security level of the proposed algorithm.