UK Government to give consumers control over smart meter data amidst privacy concerns

[Robert (Bob) Waixel]

Outlaw, the blog of the respected UK IT law firm Pinocent Masons has a
thorough article on the risks of installing 'smart' utility (Gas and/or
electricity) meters at:
http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/april/government-to-give-consumers-control-over-smart-meter-data-amidst-privacy-concerns/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+out-law-NewsRoundUP+%28OUT-LAW+News-RoundUP%29
<http://www.out-law.com/en/articles/2012/april/government-to-give-consumers-control-over-smart-meter-data-amidst-privacy-concerns/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed:+out-law-NewsRoundUP+%28OUT-LAW+News-RoundUP%29>

It refers to a paper by Ross Anderson and Shailendra Fuloria ("Who controls
the off switch?")
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rja14/Papers/meters-offswitch.pdf

Both are well worth reading. There are risks to switching to computerised
metering / systems including

* unwanted intruders to the data held your house, in transit or at the
  utility, accessing when you are in/out or being able to have a good guess
  at when you are watching TV, or even using the bedroom?

* various other privacy beaches involving an individual or household's
  personal data

There are an additional set of risks if such a meter incorporates an 'off'
switch to the supply at your location.  especially if unauthorised access to
such functionality is a possibility.  I know the suppliers will claim their
security is (will be) so perfect that it is ridiculous to consider this as
feasible.

If it is a business of course, it might be a ripe source of potential
blackmail (greenmail or any colour of your choice).

I'm sure the data will be a tempting target at all stages of its journey
from home or business to utility's database.

Robert (Bob) Waixel, MBCS, MCInstM, FHEA, CITP
RW Systems, Cambridge, UK, r.waixel at bcs.org.uk

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