Countering HArms caused by Ransomware in the Internet Of Things (CHARIOT)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Abstract
The aim of the 3-year CHARIOT project is to reduce the risk and potential adverse consequences of ransomware attacks in Industrial IoT (IIoT) network deployments comprising severely constrained wireless embedded and other cyber-physical devices. Through the proposed research, we want to increase the difficulty of mounting successful ransomware attacks against IIoT and cyber-physical systems, making them less attractive targets for perpetrators.
To that effect, CHARIOT will devise, design, and prototype creative, cutting-edge solutions for the detection, prevention, recovery and immunisation of/from ransomware attacks in IIoT environments.
Research outcomes and artifacts will be made available to industry professionals and the IoT security research community, to benefit from our findings and to foster collaboration towards creating more secure IoT and cyber-physical ecosystems. Artifacts will include IoT ransomware datasets, a ransomware proof of concept prototype, and a toolkit for the detection, prevention, and recovery of/from ransomware attacks. These engineering artifacts will be accompanied by a set of recommendations and best practices for IoT developers and industries in general.
The proposed research is aligned with the aim and objectives of the Research Institute in Trustworthy Interconnected Cyber-physical Systems (RITICS). CHARIOT is secondarily also relevant to the Research Institute in Secure Hardware and Embedded Systems (RISE) and the Research Institute in Verified Trustworthy Software Systems (VeTSS).
To that effect, CHARIOT will devise, design, and prototype creative, cutting-edge solutions for the detection, prevention, recovery and immunisation of/from ransomware attacks in IIoT environments.
Research outcomes and artifacts will be made available to industry professionals and the IoT security research community, to benefit from our findings and to foster collaboration towards creating more secure IoT and cyber-physical ecosystems. Artifacts will include IoT ransomware datasets, a ransomware proof of concept prototype, and a toolkit for the detection, prevention, and recovery of/from ransomware attacks. These engineering artifacts will be accompanied by a set of recommendations and best practices for IoT developers and industries in general.
The proposed research is aligned with the aim and objectives of the Research Institute in Trustworthy Interconnected Cyber-physical Systems (RITICS). CHARIOT is secondarily also relevant to the Research Institute in Secure Hardware and Embedded Systems (RISE) and the Research Institute in Verified Trustworthy Software Systems (VeTSS).
Publications
| Description | RITICS Fest |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Ethan Huang: CHARIOT 5-Minute Madness |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | RITICS Showcase |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation of CHARIOT progress at the RITICS Annual Showcase |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| Description | RITICS: AI at the heart of Trustworthy Control: New Opportunities and Threats in Industrial Control and Cyber-Physical Systems |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Whether we like it or not, AI will be deeply embedded in cyber-physical systems from the smallest on-chip components to decision making across systems of systems and interactions with users. AI will also be used through the whole life of systems, to assist in their design, operation, and decommissioning. But how? Beyond the hype, what are AI's most promising emerging uses? And what are the obstacles to its adoption? What are the risks associated with such pervasive AI use? Questions have been raised at the intersection of AI and safety, and AI components have proven to be vulnerable to adversarial attacks. AI can also underpin developments in both offensive and defensive capabilities. Which one will see the highest impact? This event aims to bring together researchers and practitioners working on AI in industrial control and cyber-physical systems to discuss the emergent landscape, its associated risks and opportunities, and to identify research, adoption and policy challenges that must be prioritised, to ensure cyber-physical systems remain safe, robust and resilient, whilst maximising the advantages conferred by AI use. The event will focus on the interactions between AI components and the control loops present in industrial control systems (ICS) and cyber-physical systems (CPS), whether at the level of a single device such as a robot, at the level of local control such as a building management system or a micro-grid operating in islanded mode or in large-scale systems such as critical national infrastructures. The programme of the event will include invited presentations from industry and academia, discussions sessions and a closing panel. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://ritics.org/event/ai-at-the-heart-of-trustworthy-control-new-opportunities-and-threats-in-ind... |