Certificateless Authentication Scheme for Key Distribution in IEC 61850-90-5 PMU Communication Network

Phasor Measurement Unit (PMU) data transmitted over public wide area networks and following standardized protocols becomes increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks. The IEC 61850-90-5 standard introduces cryptographic measures like encryption algorithms and message authentication codes (MACs) for PMU data security. To facilitate the exchange of keys for these symmetric algorithms, the standard specifies a key distribution mechanism that includes the authentication of participating entities. Certificate-based authentication is recommended for key distribution, but this approach faces challenges, including complex certificate management and key escrow issues. To address these issues, this paper proposes a certificateless authentication protocol based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for IEC 61850-90-5 PMU communication. The proposed scheme eliminates reliance on Certificate Authorities and resolves key escrow issues while ensuring efficient mutual authentication. A formal security analysis using the Real-Or-Random (ROR) model and validation through the AVISPA tool confirm the scheme’s robustness against impersonation, replay, and MITM attacks, demonstrating its superior security and efficiency compared to existing methods.