# Toward Secure Smart Grid Systems: Risks, Threats, Challenges, and Future Directions
## 4 Threats and Vulnerabilities
### Smart Grid Vulnerabilities
#### 4.2.1 Security Vulnerabilities  
Security-related vulnerabilities include unauthorized access, manipulation of data, disruption/denial of services, and other malicious activities such as physical tampering and abuse of privilege, which can expose both security and safety operations of smart grid systems and services [93]. These vulnerabilities can target the smart grid's layers, including hardware devices, software, firmware, and operating systems, communication \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c} \hline \hline
**Vulnerability Classification** & **Type** & **Description** & **Enhancements** \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Safety-based} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Weaknesses with the} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{physical infrastructure and} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{assets, including non-secure} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Vulnerabilities} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{and weakly surveyed} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{substations, leading to them} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{being breached} \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Security-based} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Lack of communication} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{standardization can result in} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{several exploitable protocols} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{and standards, making them} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{vulnerable to virus attacks} \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Operators’ Vulnerabilities} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Can occur intentionally as a} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{result of an insider threat to} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{cause sabotage or espionage} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{acts or unintentionally} \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Cloud-based Vulnerabilities} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Raises data privacy and} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{security concerns since it} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{includes customer} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{information, energy} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{consumption patterns, grid} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{operation data} \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Equipment Failure} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Proactive measures such as} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{redundancy and} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Equipment breakdown or} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{degradation of operations} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{and services often caused by} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{the malfunction of different} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{smart grid parts} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{smart grid parts} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{} \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Safety-based} & \multirow{8}{*}{Communication Failures} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Meron encryption and} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{or interruption of smart} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{grid’s communication} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{channels and protocols for} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{data transmission} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{and receiving} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{} \\ \hline \multirow{8}{*}{Natural Disasters} & \multicolumn{3}{c}{Often related to severe} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{weather conditions as a} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{result of severe weather} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{conditions such as extreme} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{temperatures, heatwaves, ice} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{sorms, sand/desert storms,} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{and high winds,} \\  & \multicolumn{3}{c}{or catastrophic events} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 12: _Cont._networks, data storage, and management processes. They can result in manipulating energy generation or consumption data, disrupting grid operations due to false data injection attacks, denial-of-service, or even physical damage to the infrastructure [27]. Industry best practices for security, such as those outlined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), can also prove useful. In fact, SCADA systems and communication protocols of smart grids are susceptible to zero-day exploits [94] and Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) [95], which can compromise smart grid security, leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, and service interruption.