Research database

Spoke 7 will pursue its objectives through four thematic projects, all linked to the theme of securing critical infrastructures. The SANDSTORM project represents the foundation of the Spoke activities and aims to develop and improve the technologies that will power the country's next generation of critical infrastructures. In particular, SANDSTORM aims at the development of an open architecture based on the RISC-V microprocessor that allows the country to equip itself with a technology for the development of the next generation of secure infrastructures and decrease the dependence on third-party technologies. The project work packages are organized to cover the entire stack of a computing architecture: from hardware components to application software and development tools. In close synergy with the SANDSTORM project, the SCAR and SCS projects focus on securing the two critical infrastructures identified as primary by the European Directive 2008-114-EC. In particular, the SCAR project aims at securing new technologies related to connected and autonomous cars, while the SCS project aims at securing the Smart Grids necessary for intelligent and optimized energy management in the country. Both infrastructures represent an element of maximum criticality for the country. The SCAR and SCS projects will analyze the current state of the infrastructures, identify weaknesses, and propose solutions to increase their resiliency. The fourth project, Eraclito, will target several issues to be faced by the entities whose ITC assets (i.e., networks, IT-OT systems and services) have been included within the National Security Perimeter for Cyber - PSNC - Law Decree 105-2019. These entities include Public Administrations, institutions, public and private national operators which perform an essential State’s function or provide a service that is essential to civil, economic and societal activities. In particular, the project intends to bring contributions to the cybersecurity state-of-the-art in terms of knowledge, techniques, methodologies, and tools for cyber risks management, cyber threat intelligence and hunting as well as tools for managing the cybersecurity knowledge-base.