Enhancing smart grid resilience via cybersecurity-integrated control of multilevel DSTATCOMs

Reliable voltage regulation in cyber-physical smart grids is essential for maintaining sustainable and secure power distribution. Modern distribution networks increasingly rely on interconnected control devices, such as multilevel distribution static compensators (DSTATCOMs), which enhance reactive power management and voltage stability but expose critical vulnerabilities to cyberattacks. This paper develops a cybersecurity-integrated control framework based on nonlinear feedback linearization and a discrete Kalman-filter mechanism to detect and mitigate false-data-injection (FDI) attacks in multilevel DSTATCOMs. The proposed method ensures accurate voltage tracking under cyber disturbances and substantially improves the resilience and reliability of smart-grid operation through fast anomaly detection and attack isolation. MATLAB/Simulink simulations on a 20-kV distribution network demonstrate significant gains in voltage regulation precision and near-instantaneous cyberattack mitigation (within 0.1 s). The findings emphasize that embedding cybersecurity awareness into DSTATCOM control strengthens the trustworthiness, operational continuity, and energy stability of distributed power systems, providing a vital contribution toward the development of resilient and sustainable electrical infrastructures capable of withstanding emerging cyber-physical threats. • Cybersecure nonlinear control improves smart-grid resilience and voltage stability. • Feedback-linearized DSTATCOM enables efficient reactive-power regulation. • Real-time FDI attack detection achieved via discrete Kalman-filter scheme. • Cyber-physical vulnerability assessment supports secure converter coordination. • MATLAB-based validation confirms reliable and sustainable grid operation.