PhD in Computing Science - Cyber Resilience of Future Interconnected Critical National Infrastructure (CNI)

About the Project

The scope of this PhD has been co-created between SP Energy Networks and the University of Glasgow, as part of the strategic alliance centred on the future of secure cyber physical energy networks.

The modernisation of industrial systems through digitalisation and connectivity between industrial Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), brings many benefits to the efficiency and sustainability of CNI but at the same time exposes critical infrastructure to an evolving set of cyberattacks that manifest through the digital. From the US colonial (oil) pipeline ransomware attack in the US that halted all pipeline operations for days, to the recent Crowdstrike-related outages that left planes stranded at airports across the world, cyber-incidents with direct consequences to both cyber and physical systems are becoming increasingly frequent.

This is further exacerbated when federations of cyber-physical systems need to interoperate potentially across sectors to support Distributed Renewable Energy Source (DRES) integration or the nexus between Energy and Transport.

In this PhD project, the successful candidate will research the cybersecurity and resilience challenges posed by federation and inter-connectivity between CPS of the future that span across critical infrastructure sectors.

Through the use of exemplar CPS environments, the student will research the interfacing of data and control information across diverse infrastructures and modern approaches such as Zero-Trust to develop a federated cyber-resilience architecture to defend against an evolving threat landscape also powered by AI. Exploring a wide range of current and future technologies and how they can enhance CNI resilience, the research will also examine levels of organisational integration of technologies, level of automation and digital autonomy, and development of data sharing principles within and across sectors to promote proactive cyber defence.

This studentship will be advertised until filled. Early application is therefore encouraged.

Minimum requirement of 2:1 undergraduate degree