The idea of using virtualization and containerization technologies in substations has been around for quite some time, allowing for reduced hardware needs and greater operational flexibility. However, this idea has not been widely adopted due to a lack of understanding of the associated risks.
This whitepaper examines the threats related to deploying virtualization and containerization in field locations, defines new security objectives, and proposes measures to mitigate these risks. Grid operators can use these results as input to their own risk assessments.