Implementando um atualização de Firmware segura em medidores de energia por meio do padrão DLMS/COSEM

Abstract

AMI is part of Smart Grids and plays a crucial role in communication between utilities and consumers. One of its main components are smart energy meters, used in homes and industries to collect data from the electricity grid. With the increasing popularity of these devices, it has become necessary to develop new programming codes to add services and correct faults, ensuring high reliability and security in measurements. However, meters can present regulatory compliance problems and security flaws if the firmware is not updated regularly. Therefore, since updating the programming of these devices is an effective solution for guaranteeing these requirements, the aim of this work is to propose an implementation for updating the programming of smart meters in a secure manner, according to the DLMS/COSEM standard. This is done by signing the meter’s programming code file and using the encryption and authentication of the high-level security mechanism to ensure communication between the meter and the client device. Therefore, this work includes a step-by-step process consisting of an in-depth study, coding of an algorithm with a well-defined state machine and a complete system that allows the smart meter to be updated via serial communication. This work also compares the manual process carried out by the manufacturer’s software, which takes 10 minutes, with the 12-minute duration of the implementation developed. In addition, the use of the DLMS/COSEM’s high-level security mechanism provides protection against interception, while authentication prevents unauthorized access, guaranteeing a high level of security and reliability for smart meter firmware updates. Finally, the proposed solution proved to be competitive in terms of performance, represents a promising approach for future optimizations and could generate significant impacts in the electricity sector.