Protecting multimodal transportation from the persistent cybersecurity threat
Interconnected, multimodal transportation has the potential to revolutionise how we move people and goods. However, this potential cannot be realised without the right security apparatus. “Traditional security controls and security assurance arguments are unable to support the emerging needs and applications of multimodal transport systems,” says Angelos Amditis, research and development director of the Institute of Communication & Computer Systems. “As a result, cyberthreats and cybersecurity incidents can not only disrupt all modes of transportation, they can put the promise of a more efficient transportation system at risk.” Filling this security gap is the EU-funded CitySCAPE project. “By putting the multimodal transport ecosystem under the microscope, CitySCAPE takes a holistic approach to cybersecurity,” adds Amditis, who served as the project coordinator.
A comprehensive toolkit for analysing and predicting cybersecurity threats
At the heart of the project is the CitySCAPE toolkit. “The toolkit introduces innovative risk analysis techniques and uses a number of interoperable software solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into any multimodal transport system,” explains Amditis. With the toolkit, providers can detect suspicious traffic-data values and identify persistent threats, along with evaluating an attack’s impact in both technical and financial terms. By enabling the combination of external knowledge with internally observed activities, the toolkit enhances the predictability of zero-day attacks. As a collaborative system, the toolkit also includes a networked overlay that circulates informative notifications to relevant authorities. “In addition to allowing the collaborative analysis of security threats, this unique feature helps authorities forecast cybersecurity incidents and efficiently implement mitigation measures,” notes Amditis.
Helping cities advance their cybersecurity systems
The toolkit was implemented and validated in two regional-level pilot programmes, one in Tallinn, Estonia, the other in Genoa, Italy. In addition to using the toolkit in various real-world settings, the pilots also included various training sessions for relevant stakeholders. “Because these cities used two very different Communications Platform as a Service systems, we were able to get a better understanding of the toolkit’s versatility,” remarks Amditis. Not only have these pilots contributed to the standardisation of multimodal security practices, they have also provided the two participating cities with a ready-to-use advanced cybersecurity system. In fact, Tallinn has permanently integrated parts of the CitySCAPE toolkit into its core traffic control system.
Answering the multimodal transport sector’s cybersecurity needs
The project, which was named Best Public Administration Project at the Italian Project Awards in 2022 (website in Italian), has developed a solid foundation from which service providers can build a secure multimodal transportation system. “We succeeded at developing a highly developed toolkit that combines many interdependent tools and that has been proven capable of answering the very challenging cybersecurity demands of the evolving multimodal transport sector,” concludes Amditis. Researchers are currently working to further develop the toolkit and find new applications in different cities. They are also exploring the possibility of introducing new features to, for example, manage artificial intelligence-related cyberthreats.
Keywords
CitySCAPE, cyberthreats, transportation, multimodal transportation, cybersecurity, security, multimodal transportation system, software, Communications Platform as a Service, artificial intelligence
