Impact
While harnessing cyber-physical systems could have enormous societal impact and economic benefit in many traditional industries, unique challenges are also presented as unexpected and abnormal systems behaviour can lead to disruptions which can have major impacts on society.
Complex systems are difficult to build and manage and the extensive use of information and communication technologies in cyber-physical systems make them vulnerable to cyber attack. If the interface between complex systems components breaks down, the compromise can lead to a disruption ranging from small service interruptions to huge impacts on critical infrastructure such as transport or medical systems which could jeopardise physical safety and cause huge financial loss.
Our research is developing innovative solutions and technological approaches to cyber-physical system design, management, and control which can be implemented in realistic and real cyber-physical systems environments to address cyber-physical systems’s scalability, heterogeneity, security, timely intrusion detection, and complexity. This not only helps to mitigate cyber attacks but also provides a framework to ensure cyber-physical systems are resilient against potential threats.
Research in cyber-physical systems is closely linked with research into Resilient Infrastructure, Complex Systems Security, and Intelligent Security.
Competitive Advantage
Our researchers have diverse skills and interdisciplinary knowledge in cybersecurity, electrical, software, and systems engineering, and quality and process improvement. Over the years we have established an international research reputation as leaders in:
- complex systems and CPS
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- critical infrastructure and SCADA systems protection
- Industrial IoT (IIoT) cybersecurity.
The key aspects of our research working with leading industry, state, and federal departments include:
- design, detection, and cyber attack tolerant control of smart grids
- experimental demonstration of cyber-physical resilience in smart grids
- cyber attack tolerant dynamic control for distributed energy resources
- development of intelligent and autonomous cyber-physical anomaly detection models for CPS
- leading AI-based CPS’ data analysis, privacy preservation and security
- development of SCADA systems cybersecurity and intrusion detection
- advanced threat anomaly detection and resilience of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
- resilience of distributed sensor networks against biasing interference.
Successful Applications
- Risk management-based framework for developing intelligent systems for natural disasters
- Software assurance for cyberworthiness
- A cyber-physical approach to improve mission assurance for remotely operated aerial systems and aircraft payloads
- Protection of data privacy based artificial intelligence in cyber-physical systems
- Secure and distributed orchestration micro-algorithms as services at the edge
- A collaborative host-network anomaly detection framework for IoT.