A trust-driven hybrid Blockchain framework for privacy preservation in smart grid systems

Abstract

The increasing reliance on smart grids to manage power distribution efficiently has introduced significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities due to their interconnected nature. Traditional security approaches often fall short in real-time protection, particularly against advanced threats such as data manipulation, unauthorized access, and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks. This paper proposes a novel Smart Grid Secure Protocol (SGSP), integrating Attribute-Based Zero-Knowledge Proofs (AB-ZKP), Redundant Consensus Mechanisms combining Proof of Stake (PoS) and Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) for scalable and fault-tolerant consensus, and Grid Safe Smart Contracts (GSSC) to enhance data confidentiality, automate security enforcement, and resist cyber threats. The AB-ZKP mechanism ensures selective attribute verification while preserving privacy and keeping sensitive data off-chain. The hybrid consensus mechanism merges energy-efficient PoS with fault-tolerant PBFT, securing the Blockchain layer against DDoS and Sybil attacks. Meanwhile, GSSCs automate transaction validation and policy enforcement, reducing human intervention and enabling real-time anomaly detection. Experimental results in a simulated environment demonstrate high resilience, improved data privacy (98.7% compliance), fast consensus (1.2 s), low energy consumption (0.09 kWh/transaction), and strong DDoS resistance (92.5/100). The proposed approach significantly outperforms traditional methods, paving the way for secure, scalable, and privacy-preserving smart grid ecosystems.