A user-centric Internet of Things platform to empower users for managing security and privacy concerns in the Internet of Energy

Current worldwide energy challenges require the synergy of multidisciplinary actions and activities affecting different stakeholders, such as governments, utility companies, and citizens. In recent years, these needs are being addressed through the integration of the Smart Grid paradigm with the so-called Internet of Things, in order to make energy decisions aware of data from devices that are physically deployed on a smart city. However, to address such concerns, many of the scenarios from this resulting ecosystem, require huge amounts of data in order to make efficient and effective decisions about energy distribution and saving. In this sense, the application of proper security mechanisms to allow the selective disclosure of information to the intended parties is crucial to guarantee that users’ privacy is not harmed. In this work, we propose the application of specific attribute-based access control technologies to protect the energy data that are outsourced from different devices. This integration is part of the ongoing work within MiMurcia Smart City project, which is intended to provide an integral platform to build a more sustainable and efficient city.