Blockchain protected security fabric for infrastructure protection. This project will characterize a decentralized application level blockchain approach for identity and access control of grid assets.

The DOE is looking for blockchain technologies to support peer to peer interactions and heterogeneity of nodes of the next generation electrical grid. The current electrical grid is transforming from a centralized design to one that is decentralized, transactional and includes many more stakeholders from a consumer and generation standpoint. Xage Security Fabric technology provides a blockchain protected security fabric for any to any information exchange for devices, apps, people and data required to secure this distributed grid architecture while also securing legacy assets already deployed. These legacy assets typically have poor to no security controls and are becoming more connected to industrial IoT infrastructures creating attack vectors for nation states and nefarious actors. The public benefit is to prevent the disruption of energy services by securing the nation’s critical infrastructure from foreign and domestic enemies planning cyber attacks. This approach reduces costs for grid operations through business and operational process transformation, preserving investment in deployed infrastructure, and promoting interoperability between systems. A secondary benefit to the public can be realized though reduced utility costs often filed as part of a rate base by the utility, as well as, enabling adoption of distributed generation by securing advanced peer to peer control software to support the introduction of microgrids and other distributed generation infrastructure. The proposed project will demonstrate and characterize how the characteristics of a blockchain based application can provide security for legacy and modern grid assets by creating identities and controlling access to assets from multiple vendors. The enforcement of policies created and secured in the blockchain will include both center to edge and distributed peer to peer interactions between devices and applications using common industrial protocols. A solution does not exist today that offers a combination of these capabilities. A scalability study will also be conducted to characterize performance and attributes needed for a decentralized blockchain architecture if deployed in a typical distribution grid. Today’s security methodology and tools used in both information and operational technology are built on the premise of connectivity to a central location and centralized control. The distributed nature of blockchain technology makes a decentralized security model possible at significant scale. The security use cases demonstrated by this project will address Industry 4.0 innovations that rely on industrial control systems becoming more connected and autonomous. This approach has immediate applicability to industrial control systems in oil and gas, manufacturing, buildings, and in the future autonomous vehicles. This approach also can secure advanced distributed or ‘fog’ computing use cases such as ‘apps’ running on industrial control equipment interacting with each other and making local control decisions.