Advancing Research on Cyber-Physical Security and Resilience: A MultifacetedApproach
Abstract
Overview. Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs), like power systems, manufacturing systems, and the Internet of Things (IoT), represent a fusion of physical processes with networked computation. The close synergy between physical elements and computational components characterizes these systems and differentiates them from traditional control systems. In recent years, CPSs have experienced significant transformation: physical elements experience increased automation while computations are driven through artificial intelligence (AI). In this proposal, we will explore the complexities and vulnerabilities inherent in these transformations of the future CPSs through three critical dimensions: Security and Resilience, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Autonomous Systems. (i) Security and Resilience will be quantified by the risks posed by the interconnectedness of the cyber and physical worlds, increased level of automation, and involvement of artificial intelligence, which further guide the design of preventive measures, anomaly detection, and mitigation and self-healing. (ii) AI s impact will be systematically analyzed and quantified by its reliability and resilience against extreme weather, hardware/software component failures, and adversarial interactions. (iii) The design principle and implementation of Autonomous Systems will be integrated with existing CPS infrastructures, quantifying their contributions to resilience recovery and the potential reliability and security risks. The research efforts will establish a scientific foundation of CPS resilience against (i) malicious threats inflicted by adversarial actors, and (ii) non-malicious threats, such as extreme weather conditions, hardware component malfunctions, software failures, and unintentional human errors.Innovation. In the context of this project, we will use thethree thrusts to advance research on Cyber-Physical Systems Security and Resilience and workforce development. (i) Thrust 1: Advance Security and Resiliency of AI-enabled Power Grids. The increasing integration of renewable energy sources and IoT requires AI to manage the dynamics, complexity, and connectivity of computational and physical devices in today s power grids. We will leverage context-aware digital twins, programmable networks, and artificial intelligence to predict renewable energy operations and mitigate and prevent catastrophic impacts from coordinated adversaries, component failures, and wide-area natural disasters in extreme weather and environments. (ii) Thrust 2: Secure Manufacturing Environments. We will target closely connected and AI-enhanced manufacturing environments in the Industry 4.0 and 5.0 eras. Advanced computing and network infrastructures, e.g., data-driven anomaly detection, moving target defense, and advanced scheduling algorithms, will be systematically evaluated on the resilience of future manufacturing systems against accidental software/hardware faults and malicious adversarial events. (iii) Thrust 3: Workforce Development. To accommodate a significant talent shortage faced by the defense industry, we will actively apply research outcomes to workforce development. In addition to undergraduate/graduate student training, we will leverage two to-be-established certificate programs (i.e., FutureAutonomous Systems and Industry 4.0) to provide workforce development for people with various backgrounds and experiences.Future Naval Relevance. The research proposal will significantly address future naval relevance in its intent and scope. By analyzing the complexities and vulnerabilities of CPSs and the proposed security measures for two different CPS infrastructures, the proposal closelyaligns with critical aspects of naval operations, particularly in the context of autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, and security and resilience.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 2024
- Source ID
- N000142412129
Entities
People
- Yan Sun
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Rhode Island