RBOC N+ - Resilience Beyond Observed Capabilities

Lead Research Organisation: Coventry University
Department Name: Ctr for Trust Peace & Social Relation

Abstract

The RBOC (Resilience Beyond Observed Capabilities) Network Plus will create new knowledge, new capabilities and new opportunities for collaboration to help the UK prepare for security threats in the coming decades. The starting point is a scenario of a catastrophic attack on digital and energy networks in the year 2051. RBOC N+ will convene some of the UK's leading experts in engineering, physical sciences, mathematics, health sciences, social and behavioural sciences, arts and humanities, and cross-disciplinary topics such as AI, security studies and urban planning, together with government and industry, to refine, deepen and test this scenario and to use it to create immersive simulations.

These simulations will support 'Reverse COBR' workshops, in which government, industry and academia will work back from the scenario's impacts to understand how they developed and what could have been done to prevent and mitigate them. This and other outputs - a flexible research fund, community events, an online platform developed and maintained by a project partner - will develop insights, innovate and create impact in response to possible and likely security threats and capabilities. Insights will come from the network's investigation into what capabilities, techniques and vulnerabilities could be exploited by adversaries to mount high-impact attacks against the UK, and what capabilities could be used by public authorities to prepare for and respond to them. Innovation will come from original research using novel combinations of disciplines and methods, from new relationships between researchers and policy makers and practitioners in government and industry, and from a prototype simulator for modelling the scenario with outputs addressing policy and practice implications, technology requirements and research gaps. Impact will come from the creation of new understanding and capabilities for government and industry to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of major attacks from hostile actors through research, academic engagement, cross-sectoral partnerships and a host of technological, organisational, legal and behavioural capabilities ready for practitioner use. RBOC N+ will deliver a simulation toolkit with tools, concepts, definitions, problem spaces and a digital application designed specifically for policy-makers and practitioners. And RBOC's impact will be sustainable: RBOC's demonstrable return on investment will stimulate and support applications for continued funding, through grant applications and direct investment from industry, policy makers and practitioners.

RBOC N+ will respond to eight challenge areas, each being an important theme of future security threats or responses. 'Adversary Capabilities' will investigate how the UK's enemies may be able to attack, while 'Our Capabilities' will address how the UK can prepare and respond, particularly through technology. The 'Physical Environment' challenge area will explore how cities will change by the 2050s, and 'Societal Challenges' will address potential developments in the social and political contexts. 'Responding and Decision-Making' will examine organisational and policy responses. 'Data, Information and Communications Infrastructure' will explore developments in enabling digital technologies, infrastructures and resources. To ensure that RBOC and its outputs manage security and ethical risks in ways that maintain trust, the final challenge area addresses 'Responsible Innovation and Trusted Research'.

Publications

10 25 50
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Prof. Andrew Glazzard (2023) Think Like An Attacker

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Prof. David McIhatton (2023) Introducing the RBOC Network Plus

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Prof. David McIhatton (2024) Resilient Location Intelligence

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Prof. Elena Guara And Prof. James Brusey (2024) IoT security and privacy should be a national concern

 
Description Digital twinning for crisis response in transport-based scenarios: Establishing the opportunities, challenges, vulnerabilities, and risks
Amount £249,625 (GBP)
Organisation Alan Turing Institute 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2024 
End 03/2025
 
Description Expert Fellow - SPRITE Network Plus 
Organisation University of Manchester
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Contribution to SPRITE Network Plus as an Expert Fellow
Collaborator Contribution We participated in Workshops and Sandpit events
Impact Outputs are in the pipeline
Start Year 2022
 
Description D-AP Meeting 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Overview of the RBOC Network+ Project
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Emergency Preparedness Northern Ireland 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Meeting with Emergency Preparedness NI to consider how cyber attacks similar to the RBOC scenario could impact on emergency response and recovery
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Exploring Issues of Trust in Future Security Scenarios 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Understanding specific trust issues before, during and immediately after the event from a societal and technical perspective
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Internet of Things: Resilience and Security Forum 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Resilience and security challenges and solutions around the role of the IoT and AI.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description National Consortium for Societal Resilience Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Showcased RBOC at the National Consortium of Societal Resilience Annual Conference in Manchester
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description National Consortium of Societal Resilience Conference 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Presentation and solicitation of interest in RBOC N+ at the National Consortium of Societal Resilience Annual Conference in Manchester
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Presentation at SPRITE Plus Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Presentation and solicitation of interest in RBOC N+ at the Sprite Plus residential event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Presentation at SPRITE+ event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation and solicitation of interest in RBOC N+ at the Sprite Plus residential event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation to Greater Manchester Combined Authority Senior Leadership Team 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact Workshop with the entire senior leadership team of Greater Manchester Combined Authority exploring how the region will develop over the next 30 years based on their strategies for each different function (transport, etc). Identified numerous areas where greater focus is required for RBOC events including Resilient Location Intelligence, Chief Information Resilience Officers, and supply chains
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Resilient Location Intelligence: Edinburgh 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact How Security threats in the future may challenge or be challenged by, the resilience of location intelligence
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description SPRITE+ Conference 
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 and solicitation of interest in RBOC N+ at the Sprite Plus event
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Scenario Development Workshops (four co-creation events) 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact A core part of the project is basing the network activities on a defined scenario in 2050. In delivering on this, we co-created our scenario with a significant range of policymakers, practitioners and academics from across the Uk
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description TACT+ workshop 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The workshop was intended to explore how science and technology is changing the focus of conflict in both real and virtual settings, and the weaponisation of everyday technology - as well as artificial intelligence and autonomous platforms
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Tact Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Scenario development exercise and consideration of the types of adversary capabilities that could be available in 2050; session also on the socio-technical resilience requirements from a preparedness and response perspective
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023