Cryptographic Key Management for Role-Based Access Control Model in Power System Computer Networks

This thesis research has successfully completed two developments: an efficient Power-system Role-based Access Control (PRAC) and a secure Power-system Role-based kEy management (PREM). The PRAC significantly increases the security of computer networks for power systems, and surmounts the challenges caused by typical security and reliability concerns due to current technological and political changes faced in the electricity power industry. The PREM is designed to support the efficient operation of the PRAC using one-way hash functions and utilizing their advantages of computationally efficient and irreversibility security. PRAC and PREM are not only developed for handling single local computer network domain, but also extended for supporting multiple computer network domains. A platform for the comprehensive assessment of PREM is established for the fast and economical assessment of the key management developed in this thesis research.