Flinders University Expands Cyber Power Capabilities
Strong network cybersecurity has never been more important, with the potential for ‘deep-fake signals’ and other technologies to interfere with aviation and transport systems and cause inconvenience, even danger to citizens who rely on critical infrastructure including water and power supplies.
To build the next generation of specialist IT professionals, Flinders University experts in Network and Cybersecurity Systems have set up ‘real world’ testbeds including a ‘Smart City’ to show how AI, remote internet and Cloud systems may be used by hostile players to exploit weaknesses in vital transport and power supplies.
“With all of these emerging technologies, we need to be able to find weaknesses in our industrial, network and infrastructure systems to anticipate how they might be hacked,” says Flinders University Associate Professor Alireza Jolfaei, an expert in cyber-physical systems security.
“We always need to find new methods for security-aware modelling, analysis and design of safety-critical cyber-physical systems in the presence of many kinds of cyber-adversaries, including ageing infrastructure systems and software vulnerabilities.”
Professor Sam Drake, a co-director of the Centre for Defence Electromagnetic Research and Training at Flinders, adds that deep-fake signals from remote locations can interfere with GPS, aviation and shipping communications.
“As technologies become ever-more sophisticated, we need to constantly monitor the potential for interference in critical systems to find possible weaknesses and mitigate risk,” says Professor Drake.
“As well as experience in technologies such as cloud, Internet of Things, AI and blockchain, the testbeds aim to give hands-on training in security analysis, threat detection and mitigation strategies for addressing hardware and software misconfigurations and how they relates to everyday systems.”
Senior Lecturer Dr Saeed Ur Rehman, an expert in wireless communication security, emphasises the dual nature of convenience and risk inherent in the pervasive integration of wireless devices.
“The ubiquitous integration of low-cost wireless devices facilitates our lives, but on the other hand, it poses a significant security threat. For instance, a low-cost wireless device such as a wireless security camera connected to home WiFi can serve as a gateway for hackers, compromising the privacy of home network and potentially triggering cascading attacks.”
Flinders Associate Professor Elena Sitnikova says the new Urban Table testbed gives a practical insights into the complex real-life potential for big breakdowns in critical infrastructure systems, including hostile cyber-attacks, and training in preparing for incidence response, disaster recovery and “business continuity management and governance”.
The testbed model includes software and hardware systems linking a large metropolitan hospital, electrical substation and backup power generation and traffic intersections.
Dr Fabiana Santana, Flinders University Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research Enterprise and Infrastructure), opened a special event at Flinders University’s Tonsley campus this month.
The ‘Australia-Korea Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Systems of National Significance’ project aims to collaborate and encourage the most pressing cybersecurity problems facing emerging critical technologies.
“Protecting our critical infrastructure is key to securing our way of life,” says Dr Santana.
“The innovative tech testbeds at Tonsley will strengthen Flinders’ research in cybersecurity, AI, connectivity, and cloud, helping our teams contribute to the security and resilience of critical infrastructure nationwide.”
She says Flinders and other research tackling ‘real-world’ problems will encourage bilateral relationships and facilitate joint ventures in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Flinders event follows a workshop in Seoul, Korea earlier this year to explore emerging critical cybersecurity technologies including artificial intelligence, next-gen telecom systems and the Internet of Things. Industry partners at this month’s Tonsley event included Fortinet and Cybenus, as well as representatives from Incheon National University, Korea and DefenceSA.