Open research questions in Smart Grid Security and Resilience

What the literature leaves open

• Further evaluation of the proposed framework on other benchmarks and datasets, - Investigation of the applicability of the proposed framework to other types of attacks, - Comparison with other state-of-the-art methods

  An Attack-Mechanism-Informed Informer for Sensor Deception Attack Detection in Process Industries · 2026 · DOI

• Conventional detection methods often fail to incorporate attack mechanism information, leading to limited detection performance. The lack of effective detection methods for stealthy sensor deception attacks in process industries. The need for a framework that can incorporate attack mechanism information and improve detection accuracy.

  An Attack-Mechanism-Informed Informer for Sensor Deception Attack Detection in Process Industries · 2026 · DOI

• The complexity of wind farm systems and the need for robust intrusion detection mechanisms. The challenge of detecting cyberattacks in real-time while avoiding false alarms. The need to address the convergence of operational technology and IT in wind farms.

  Resilient control and Markov-enhanced hybrid multi-feature intrusion detection for cyber-physical wind farms under SCADA delays and coordinated cyber-attacks · 2026 · DOI

• Simulation-only study - Small sample size of 1,000 held-out seeded test runs - Limited to a two-turbine wind-farm system

  Resilient control and Markov-enhanced hybrid multi-feature intrusion detection for cyber-physical wind farms under SCADA delays and coordinated cyber-attacks · 2026 · DOI

• Further research is needed to evaluate the proposed framework in real-world healthcare systems, - The study suggests exploring other optimization algorithms to improve the performance of the CSGSACNN-HMOA model, - Future research can focus on integrating the proposed framework with other security measures to enhance the overall security of healthcare systems, - The study recommends investigating the application of the proposed framework in other domains such as IoT and industrial control systems

  An intelligent cyber-attack detection framework for healthcare cyber-physical systems using optimized graph-based deep learning · 2026 · DOI

• The need for modern detection methods beyond static security tools to address contemporary complex evolving security threats in dynamic healthcare systems. The requirement for intelligent adaptive detection systems that require precise identification coupled with swift responses and minimal incorrect system alerts.

  An intelligent cyber-attack detection framework for healthcare cyber-physical systems using optimized graph-based deep learning · 2026 · DOI

• Cybersecurity risks, including data breaches and unauthorized access, - Technical challenges, including weak authentication and outdated software, - Limited understanding of cybersecurity threats and mitigation strategies

  Cybersecurity and Major Cyber Threats of Smart Meters: A Systematic Mapping Review · 2025 · DOI

• The study only analyzed 41 articles - The study did not present sufficient methodological details in some cases - The application of rigorous inclusion and exclusion criteria may have limited the diversity of the analyzed approaches

  Cybersecurity and Major Cyber Threats of Smart Meters: A Systematic Mapping Review · 2025 · DOI

• The complexity of the smart grid system. The sophistication of False Data Injection Attacks. The need for effective feature selection and classification in intrusion detection.

  Dual-hybrid intrusion detection system to detect False Data Injection in smart grids · 2025 · DOI

• Traditional Intrusion Detection Systems often fall short in identifying sophisticated False Data Injection Attacks. The reliance on predefined rules and signatures limits the effectiveness of traditional IDS.

  Dual-hybrid intrusion detection system to detect False Data Injection in smart grids · 2025 · DOI

• While various studies in literature have addressed DT applications, technologies, and challenges, a comprehensive review on the data federation aspects within power systems still needs to be investigated.

  Digital Twins for Power Systems: Review of Current Practices, Requirements, Enabling Technologies, Data Federation, and Challenges · 2025 · DOI

• In particular, issues such as fast fault detection, response coordination across varying fault scenarios, and the integration of adaptive protection schemes remain insufficiently addressed.

  Advanced fault detection methodologies and communication protocols for DC micro grid -A technical review · 2025 · DOI

• The survey also discusses the challenges in the advancement of Smartgrid technology and identifies the open problems for research from the view of multi-agent systems.

  A Survey of Multi-Agent Systems for Smartgrids · 2024 · DOI

• While some technologies, such as information and communication technology (ICT), distributed generation (DG), energy storage system (ESS), and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, have flourished, others, such as Wide Area Management Systems (WAMS), Distribution Automation (DA), Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and Customer Technology (CT), and Smart Electricity Market (SEM) are not yet explored.

  Advancements, challenges, and future prospects of smart grid technology in India · 2024 · DOI

• The potential attacks and impacts of those attacks need to be investigated to develop an effective cyber security infrastructure.

  A Comprehensive Review on Cyber-Attacks in Power Systems: Impact Analysis, Detection, and Cyber Security · 2024 · DOI

• Finally, conclusions with some open issues of the Quantum Q-Learning are presented.

  Quantum Entropy and Reinforcement Learning for Distributed Denial of Service Attack Detection in Smart Grid · 2024 · DOI

• This study has discovered several open issues, including backoff count overflow, channel selection, load balancing and channel access fairness.

  Multi-Link Operation in IEEE802.11be Extremely High Throughput: A Survey · 2024 · DOI

• Conventional frameworks didn't concentrate on assuring backup data integrity before restoration. Existing studies didn't concentrate on backup data integrity verification before restoration.

  Artificial intelligence driven approach for securing backup data and enhancing cyber resilience in sustainable smart infrastructure · 2026 · DOI

• Stealthy drift perturbations can remain hidden from classical detection mechanisms. Developing a framework that can detect complex anomalies while accounting for physics-informed constraints. Ensuring the dimensional compatibility of the latent representation with the admittance operator. Balancing the strength of the physics constraint with the detection performance.

  Physics-Constrained Optimization Framework for Detecting Stealthy Drift Perturbations · 2026 · DOI

• Further research can explore the application of the ZETWIN framework to other domains, - Investigating the robustness of the framework to various types of attacks

  Physics-Constrained Optimization Framework for Detecting Stealthy Drift Perturbations · 2026 · DOI

• The lack of integration of cybersecurity approaches and predictive leak detection and monitoring for overall system security and reliability. The need for intelligent, data-driven, automated supervisory systems in the petroleum retail and distribution industry.

  Cyber-Resilient IoT-Driven SCADA Integration for Secure and Intelligent Fuel Station Monitoring and Predictive Analysis · 2026 · DOI

• The Digital Twin (PINN) model integrates physics-informed neural networks but does not discuss the generalizability of the physics constraints across different fuel station designs, tank geometries, or climate conditions.

  Cyber-Resilient IoT-Driven SCADA Integration for Secure and Intelligent Fuel Station Monitoring and Predictive Analysis · 2026 · DOI

• Even with these promising findings, there are still a number of areas that may be investigated further. First, the hybrid ensemble framework's practical applicability and scalability would be further demonstrated by real-time deployment and validation in live or hardware-in-the- loop smart grid systems. Second, in order to dynamically modify model contributions in response to changing assault patterns, future research may investigate adaptive ensemble weighting techniques and online learning methods. Additionally, by offering interpretable insights into detection choices, using explainable AI (XAI) approaches might increase model transparency and operator confidence. REFERENCES Abbassy, M. M., Satya Sai Kumar, A., Ead, W. M., Mohamed Aboalndr, A. A., Alsheref, F. K., Abdalla, M., & Shivani, A. (2025). Hybrid deep learning framework for detection of anomalies in cyber-physical systems. International Journal of Information Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41870-025-02633-7 Alguliyev, R., Imamverdiyev, Y., & Sukhostat, L. (2021). Hybrid DeepGCL model for cyber-attacks detection on cyber-physical systems. Neural Computing and Applications, 33(16), 10211–10226. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00521-021-05785-2 Alomari, M. A., Al-Andoli, M. N., Ghaleb, M., Thabit, R., Alkawsi, G., Alsayaydeh, J. A. J., & Gaid, A. S. (2025). Security of smart grid: cybersecurity issues, potential cyberattacks, major incidents, and future directions. Energies, 18(1), 141. Arumugam, S. R., Paul, P. M., Issac, B. J. J., & Ananth, J. P. (2024). Hybrid deep architecture for intrusion detection in cyber- physical system: An optimization-based approach. International Journal of Adaptive Control and Signal Processing, 38(9), 3016–3039. https://doi.org/10.1002/acs.3855 Bhuiyan, T. (2025). AI in Smart Grid Cybersecurity: A Systematic Review of Machine Learning and Deep Learning Approaches against False Data Injection and Other Emerging Attacks. Journal of Computer Science and Technology Studies, 7(8), 1207- 1295. Bitirgen, K., & Filik, Ü. B. (2023). A hybrid deep learning model for discrimination of physical disturbance and cyber-attack Infrastructure Protection, 40, Article 100582.

  Hybrid ANN–DNN–LSTM Deep Learning Architecture for Botnet Detection in Smart Grid Cyber-Physical Systems · 2026 · DOI

• Future efforts should focus on enhancing the speed of integrity verification for large-scale data aggregation. There is a need to expand simulation capabilities to include more complex, coordinated attack scenarios. Continued development of information-theoretic metrics will be essential for staying ahead of stealthy attackers.

  Smart Grid Technology - A Review of Cyber Security in Smart Grid Technology · 2026 · DOI

• The integration of ICT infrastructure significantly expands the cyber-attack surface. The smart grid relies on a complex hierarchy of components, including smart meters and SCADA systems. The paper identifies a need for strong protection mechanisms and continuous research.

  Smart Grid Technology - A Review of Cyber Security in Smart Grid Technology · 2026 · DOI

Most-cited papers in Smart Grid Security and Resilience

• Defending Critical Infrastructure · INFORMS Journal on Applied Analytics · 2006 · 598 citations
• Smart grids and renewable energy systems: Perspectives and grid integration challenges · Energy Strategy Reviews · 2024 · 581 citations
• Security issues in SCADA networks · Computers & Security · 2006 · 415 citations
• Cyber physical systems security: Analysis, challenges and solutions · Computers & Security · 2017 · 385 citations
• SCADA security in the light of Cyber-Warfare · Computers & Security · 2012 · 262 citations
• Integrating Artificial Intelligence Internet of Things and 5G for Next-Generation Smartgrid: A Survey of Trends Challenges and Prospect · IEEE Access · 2022 · 230 citations
• Cyber ranges and security testbeds: Scenarios, functions, tools and architecture · Computers & Security · 2019 · 228 citations
• SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems: Vulnerability assessment and security recommendations · Computers & Security · 2019 · 199 citations
• Analysis of Cyber Security Attacks and Its Solutions for the Smart grid Using Machine Learning and Blockchain Methods · Future Internet · 2023 · 188 citations
• Enhancing Cyber-Resiliency of DER-Based Smart Grid: A Survey · IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid · 2024 · 177 citations

Most recent work

• Detection of dummy data injection attacks by using particle swarm optimization-attention temporal graph convolutional network model in power system · Engineering Applications of Artificial Intelligence · 2026
• Multi-timescale distributed control for multi-energy virtual power plant clusters via cloud-edge collaboration · Applied Energy · 2026
• Smart meter data intelligence for sustainable distribution network operations: State-of-the-Art applications and pathways toward net-zero · Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews · 2026
• Cybersecurity in Smart Grids and Other Application Fields: A Review Paper · Energies · 2026
• Attack and defense against deep reinforcement learning-based agent for discrete domains: Application in distribution network reconfiguration · Expert Systems with Applications · 2026
• Complex systems engineering for grid resilience: Insights from the 2025 Iberian blackout · Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews · 2026
• Artificial intelligence driven approach for securing backup data and enhancing cyber resilience in sustainable smart infrastructure · Scientific Reports · 2026
• Detection framework for bidirectional false data injection attacks to enhance reliability in cyber-physical power systems · Reliability Engineering & System Safety · 2026
• A tri-level cybersecurity risk assessment model of cyber-physical power systems under uncertain coordinated attacks · Reliability Engineering & System Safety · 2026
• Hybrid AI framework for smart grid energy management using large language models and deep learning techniques · Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics · 2026

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