Illinois Tech launches center to boost microgrid cybersecurity with DOE support

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Jeremy V. Fine Vice President for Finance, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer | Illinois Institute Of Technology

Illinois Tech launches center to boost microgrid cybersecurity with DOE support

Illinois Tech is set to establish the Midwest Center for Microgrid Cybersecurity (2MC) with funding from the United States Department of Energy. The initiative focuses on developing advanced cybersecurity software to protect power grids, which are increasingly vulnerable due to digitization and wireless technologies.

Robert W. Galvin Electricity Innovation Endowed Chair Mohammad Shahidehpour leads the 2MC project. He also serves as director of Illinois Tech’s Robert W. Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation and associate director of the Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research (WISER). Shahidehpour aims to identify grid sections under cyber intrusion and apply methods like watermarking to limit virus spread within electric power systems.

Shahidehpour notes that any wirelessly controlled device, such as a streetlight with a sensor, could be an entry point for attackers: “Basically, if you can control it wirelessly, an attacker can potentially access it, too.”

The 2MC team includes experts from Illinois Tech's Galvin Center, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Illinois Chicago, and Commonwealth Edison Company. They will develop software for both device-level and microgrid-level security.

Existing firewalls prevent many attacks; however, Shahidehpour emphasizes ongoing development is necessary as cyber attackers become "smarter and smarter."

The project will also create training programs for grid operators and educational materials for Illinois Tech’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Acknowledgment: “This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number(s) DE-CR0000042.”

Disclaimer: “This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United States Government. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied...”

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