  The smart power grid promises to improve efficiency and reliability of power
delivery. This report introduces the logical components, associated
technologies, security protocols, and network designs of the system.
Undermining the potential benefits are security threats, and those threats
related to cyber security are described in this report. Concentrating on the
design of the smart meter and its communication links, this report describes
the ZigBee technology and implementation, and the communication between the
smart meter and the collector node, with emphasis on security attributes. It
was observed that many of the secure features are based on keys that must be
maintained; therefore, secure key management techniques become the basis to
securing the entire grid. The descriptions of current key management techniques
are delineated, highlighting their weaknesses. Finally some initial research
directions are outlined.
