Security in OPERA Specification Based PLC Systems

Power Line Communication (PLC) is a broadband telecommunication technology that enables the use of the existing electricity networks for high speed data transmission purposes. European project OPERA (Open PLC European Research Alliance) is a project whose strategic objective is to push PLC technology in all the different and relevant aspects. Within this framework, security is an important aspect that should be taken into account and integrated into the specifications from the very beginning. The project was scheduled in two phases with a duration of two years each. Phase1 produced a first PLC specification, including security. Phase2 produced an improved specification which was submitted to the IEEE as the OPERA PLC proposal within the contest organized by WG P1901. The paper presents the studies related to security in the PLC access technology made within this process that led to the second security specification of OPERA. Finally, an analysis of this specification is performed.