Towards a cyber-physical security solution for water distribution systems
Image: KIOS Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence
A grant for a proof-of-concept of a cyber-physical security solution for water distribution systems has been awarded to University of Cyprus Professor Marios Polycarpou.
The grant from the European Research Council for the named ‘WaterSAFE’ project is intended to enable exploring the market potential of a security-as-a-service solution to enhance protection in drinking water systems from physical threats and cybersecurity attacks.
It follows an earlier grant from the ERC for the ‘Water-Futures’ project, which integrates new technologies in automation and machine learning for resilience and efficiency for drinking water solutions for cities of the future.
“The ERC WaterSAFE provides an exciting opportunity to explore the further potential of our ERC research in practice,” says Polycarpou, from the University of Cyprus’ Department of Electrical and Computer Engineer and KIOS Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence.
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“By developing an integrated platform that simulates water distribution operations and detects cyber-physical threats in real time, we can significantly enhance the preparedness of critical water infrastructures.”
The WaterSAFE project should develop an innovative cyber-physical risk management and incident response system composed of several components, including a digital twin platform to enable emulation of various scenarios and an early warning system for detecting anomalies and unusual patterns in water quality that could be due to contamination events.
A training module to help prepare water operators and IT personnel for responding to cyber-physical threats also is planned.
The system will be demonstrated in a proof-of-concept on the small-scale KIOS water security testbed under various realistic scenarios, as well as in controlled experiments on the large-scale Limassol Smart Water Living Lab.
Workshops with stakeholders are planned to evaluate and validate the tool’s practical application and business case.
Participants in the research team with Polycarpou include Assistant Professor Angelos Marnerides, Research Assistant Professor Demetrios Eliades, Senior Research Associate Dr Kleanthis Malialis and Senior Research Associate Dr. Stelios Vrachimis, as well as the Cypriot SME PHOEBE Research and Innovations Ltd, which specialises in IoT analytics solutions in smart building and smart water systems.
Originally published on Enlit World.
