Cybersecurity for Critical Infrastructure
Critical infrastructures face an escalating cybersecurity challenge due to increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks, outdated systems, and complex supply chains, making them vulnerable to disruptions that can impact national security, public safety, and essential services. Belgian Defence seeks dual-use integrated solutions that ensure resilience of critical infrastructures.
Illustrative Scenario
A coordinated cyberattack has disabled remote control of key regional power grid operator. The critical infrastructure manages electricity distribution for several provinces; therefore the attack is causing rolling blackouts across multiple cities. Despite the severe impact of the attack, hospitals, public transport, and emergency services must continue to operate effectively. Accidents and economical losses due to downtime must be avoided. To ensure that critical services are delivered safely and without delay, proactive and adaptive tools and strategies are leveraged.
Exemplar enabling technologies
Solutions that protect against supply chain vulnerabilities, IoT and legacy systems, respond to the lack of real-time threat visibility; solutions ensuring network segmentation, patch management, intrusion detection and prevention systems, endpoint detection and response, Cybersecurity Awareness Training, public-private threat intelligence sharing, … This list is not exhaustive Belgian Defence encourages innovators to think creatively about novel solutions.
Service-specific examples
Land Force
- Solutions may include detection of anomalies in network traffic and unauthorized access attempts in real-time; protect legacy systems controlling base utilities (e.g., power, water) using secure design and malware analysis; secure connected devices like surveillance cameras and access control systems.
Air Force
- Solutions may include hardening of air traffic control systems against cyber intrusions; simulate GPS spoofing; assess vulnerabilities in satellite links and develop contingency protocols.
Medical Service
- Solutions may include maintaining medical device functionality during cyber disruptions;
- simulate attacks on medical logistics to ensure continuity of care;
- protect wearable health monitors and mobile diagnostic tools.
Navy
- Technologies such as intrusion detection systems, endpoint protection, and public-private threat intelligence sharing.
