@article {Roman2023a, title = {Current Perspectives on Securing Critical Infrastructures{\textquoteright} Supply Chains}, journal = {IEEE Security \& Privacy}, year = {In Press}, publisher = {IEEE}, issn = {1540-7993}, author = {Rodrigo Roman and Cristina Alcaraz and Javier Lopez and Kouichi Sakurai} } @article {Syrmakesis2022, title = {Classifying resilience approaches for protecting smart grids against cyber threats}, journal = {International Journal of Information Security}, volume = {21}, year = {2022}, month = {05/2022}, pages = {1189{\textendash}1210}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Springer Verlag}, abstract = {

Smart grids (SG) draw the attention of cyber attackers due to their vulnerabilities, which are caused by the usage of heterogeneous communication technologies and their distributed nature. While preventing or detecting cyber attacks is a well-studied field of research, making SG more resilient against such threats is a challenging task. This paper provides a classification of the proposed cyber resilience methods against cyber attacks for SG. This classification includes a set of studies that propose cyber-resilient approaches to protect SG and related cyber-physical systems against unforeseen anomalies or deliberate attacks. Each study is briefly analyzed and is associated with the proper cyber resilience technique which is given by the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the Special Publication 800-160. These techniques are also linked to the different states of the typical resilience curve. Consequently, this paper highlights the most critical challenges for achieving cyber resilience, reveals significant cyber resilience aspects that have not been sufficiently considered yet and, finally, proposes scientific areas that should be further researched in order to enhance the cyber resilience of SG.

}, keywords = {Cyber threats, cyber-physical systems, resilience, Smart grids}, issn = {1615-5262}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s10207-022-00594-7}, url = {https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10207-022-00594-7.pdf}, author = {Andrew D. Syrmakesis and Cristina Alcaraz and Nikos D. Hatziargyriou~} } @article {ishak22, title = {Learning multi-party adversarial encryption and its application to secret sharing}, journal = {IEEE Access }, year = {2022}, publisher = {IEEE}, abstract = {

Neural networks based cryptography has seen a significant growth since the introduction of adversarial cryptography which makes use of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to build neural networks that can learn encryption. The encryption has been proven weak at first but many follow up works have shown that the neural networks can be made to learn the One Time Pad (OTP) and produce perfectly secure ciphertexts. To the best of our knowledge, existing works only considered communications between two or three parties. In this paper, we show how multiple neural networks in an adversarial setup can remotely synchronize and establish a perfectly secure communication in the presence of different attackers eavesdropping their communication. As an application, we show how to build Secret Sharing Scheme based on this perfectly secure multi-party communication. The results show that it takes around 45,000 training steps for 4 neural networks to synchronize and reach equilibria. When reaching equilibria, all the neural networks are able to communicate between each other and the attackers are not able to break the ciphertexts exchanged between them.

}, keywords = {Cryptography, Encryption, Generative Adversarial Networks, Kernel, Mathematical models, Neural networks, Secret Sharing, Synchronization, Training}, issn = {2169-3536}, doi = {10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3223430}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2022.3223430}, author = {Ishak Meraouche and Sabyasachi Dutta and Sraban Kumar Mohanty and Isaac Agudo and Kouichi Sakurai} } @article {alcaraz2019a, title = {Covert Channels-based Stealth Attacks in Industry 4.0}, journal = {IEEE Systems Journal.}, volume = {13}, year = {2019}, month = {12/2019}, pages = {3980-3988}, publisher = {IEEE}, abstract = {

Industry 4.0 advent opens several cyber-threats scenarios originally designed for classic information technology, drawing the attention to the serious risks for the modern industrial control networks.\ To cope with this problem, in this paper we address the security issues related to covert channels applied to industrial networks, identifying the new vulnerability points when information technologies converge with operational technologies such as edge computing infrastructures.\ Specifically, we define two signaling strategies where we exploit the Modbus/TCP protocol as target to set up a covert channel. Once the threat channel is established, passive and active offensive attacks (i.e. data exfiltration and command an control, respectively) are further exploited by implementing and testing them on a real Industrial Internet of Things testbed.\ The experimental results highlight the potential damage of such specific threats, and the easy extrapolation of the attacks to other types of channels in order to show the new risks for Industry 4.0. Related to this, we discuss some countermeasures to offer an overview of possible mitigation and defense measures.

}, issn = {1932-8184}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1109/JSYST.2019.2912308}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8715420?source=authoralert}, author = {Cristina Alcaraz and Giuseppe Bernieri and Federica Pascucci and Javier Lopez and Roberto Setola} } @article {IonnaisPanosMihalisAlcarazLopez2018, title = {Survey of IoT-enabled Cyberattacks: Assessing Attack Paths to Critical Infrastructures and Services}, journal = { IEEE Communications Surveys and Tutorials}, volume = {20}, year = {2018}, month = {07/2018}, pages = {3453-3495}, publisher = {IEEE}, abstract = {

As the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT)\ is experiencing an exponential growth, it is no surprise that\ many recent cyber attacks are IoT-enabled: The attacker initially\ exploits some vulnerable IoT technology as a first step towards\ compromising a critical system that is connected, in some way,\ with the IoT. For some sectors, like industry, smart grids,\ transportation and medical services, the significance of such\ attacks is obvious, since IoT technologies are part of critical backend\ systems. However, in sectors where IoT is usually at the enduser\ side, like smart homes, such attacks can be underestimated,\ since not all possible attack paths are examined. In this paper\ we survey IoT-enabled cyber attacks, found in all application\ domains since 2010. For each sector, we emphasize on the latest,\ verified IoT-enabled attacks, based on known real-world incidents\ and published proof-of-concept attacks. We methodologically\ analyze representative attacks that demonstrate direct, indirect\ and subliminal attack paths against critical targets. Our goal is\ threefold: (i) To assess IoT-enabled cyber attacks in a risk-like\ approach, in order to demonstrate their current threat landscape;\ (ii) To identify hidden and subliminal IoT-enabled attack paths\ against critical infrastructures and services, and (iii) To examine\ mitigation strategies for all application domains.

}, keywords = {Critical Infrastructures, Cyber Attacks, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Internet of Things, SCADA, Smart grids, Smart Home, Smart Medical Systems}, issn = {1553-877X}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1109/COMST.2018.2855563}, url = {https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8410404}, author = {Ioannis Stellios and Panayiotis Kotzanikolaou and Mihalis Psarakis and Cristina Alcaraz and Javier Lopez} } @article {NietNLS15, title = {Dynamic Knowledge-based Analysis in non-Secure 5G Green Environments using Contextual Data}, journal = {IEEE Systems Journal}, volume = {11}, number = {99}, year = {2017}, month = {12/2017}, pages = {2479-2489}, publisher = {IEEE}, abstract = {

The growing number of parameters in heteroge- neous networks, as is the case of the fifth generation (5G) Green networks, greatly complicates the analysis of the Security and Quality of Service Tradeoff (SQT). However, studying these types of relationships is crucial in Future Internet scenarios to prevent potential points of failure and to enhance the use of limited resources, increasing the user{\textquoteright}s experience. Therefore, it is fundamental to provide tools and models for training, so that the users understand these dependencies and solve them prior to deploying new solutions. In this paper, a Recommendation System for SQT (SQT-RS) is deployed in 5G Green systems, considering the particular case of relay networks and the impact of eavesdropping and jamming contexts on the models generated by the user, aided by SQT-RS. With this goal in mind, we provide a component for the user to automatically select specific contexts based on 5G Green capabilities.\ 

}, keywords = {cellular networks, Communication system security, Context, Green design, Knowledge-based systems}, issn = {1932-8184}, doi = {10.1109/JSYST.2015.2477782}, author = {Ana Nieto and Nikolaos Nomikos and Javier Lopez and Charalambos Skianis} } @article {NNMSVRLS, title = {Relay Selection for Secure 5G Green Communications}, journal = {Telecommunication Systems }, volume = {59}, year = {2015}, month = {05/2015}, pages = {169-187}, publisher = {Springer US}, abstract = {

In this article, we present relay selection policies in applications with secrecy requirements which are of interest in the fifth generation (5G) of wireless networks. More specifically, we provide a classification of relays based on their distinct communication attributes, such as processing, multiple antennas, storage, channel estimation, density and security level. In addition, we discuss the level of efficiency exhibited by each relay class, regarding their impact in delay-critical applications and green communications applications, while aiming at a specific security level at the physical layer. Then, relay selection policies are proposed taking into consideration the goals set by each application. Numerical evaluation of the proposed policies in terms of the average secrecy rate, average delay and power reduction show improved performance compared to other state-of-the-art solutions.\ 

}, keywords = {5G relays, Delay-critical, Power-efficient communications, Relay selection, security}, issn = {1018-4864}, doi = {10.1007/s11235-014-9890-7}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11235-014-9890-7}, author = {Nikolaos Nomikos and Ana Nieto and Prodromos Makris and Dimitrios N. Skoutas and Demosthenes Vouyioukas and Panagiotis Rizomiliotis and Javier Lopez and Charalambos Skianis} } @article {roman2011, title = {Key management systems for sensor networks in the context of the Internet of Things}, journal = {Computers \& Electrical Engineering}, volume = {37}, year = {2011}, month = {Mar 2011}, pages = {147-159}, publisher = {Elsevier}, abstract = {

If a wireless sensor network (WSN) is to be completely integrated into the Internet as part of the Internet of Things (IoT), it is necessary to consider various security challenges, such as the creation of a secure channel between an Internet host and a sensor node. In order to create such a channel, it is necessary to provide key management mechanisms that allow two remote devices to negotiate certain security credentials (e.g. secret keys) that will be used to protect the information flow. In this paper we will analyse not only the applicability of existing mechanisms such as public key cryptography and pre-shared keys for sensor nodes in the IoT context, but also the applicability of those link-layer oriented key management systems (KMS) whose original purpose is to provide shared keys for sensor nodes belonging to the same WSN.

}, issn = {0045-7906}, doi = {10.1016/j.compeleceng.2011.01.009}, url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6V25-527FRSD-1/2/62661c595153993639c43b9b331d8d66}, author = {Rodrigo Roman and Cristina Alcaraz and Javier Lopez and Nicolas Sklavos} } @article {1705, title = {Secure multiparty payment with an intermediary entity}, journal = {Computers and Security}, volume = {28}, number = {5}, year = {2009}, pages = {289-300}, publisher = {Elsevier}, issn = {0167-4048}, author = {Mildrey Carbonell and Jose Maria Sierra and Javier Lopez} } @article {Winfield2005, title = {On the Formal Specification of Emergent Behaviours of Swarm Robotics Systems}, journal = {International Journal of Advanced Robotics Systems}, volume = {2}, year = {2005}, pages = {363-371}, publisher = {SAGE Publishing}, abstract = {

It is a characteristic of swarm robotics that specifying overall emergent swarm behaviours in terms of the low-level behaviours of individual robots is very difficult. Yet if swarm robotics is to make the transition from the laboratory to real-world engineering realisation we need such specifications. This paper explores the use of temporal logic to formally specify, and possibly also prove, the emergent behaviours of a robotic swarm. The paper makes use of a simplified wireless connected swarm as a case study with which to illustrate the approach. Such a formal approach could be an important step toward a disciplined design methodology for swarm robotics.

}, keywords = {Swarm Robotics, temporal resolution}, issn = {1729-8806}, doi = {dx.doi.org/10.5772/5769}, author = {Alan Winfield and Jin Sa and Carmen Fernandez-Gago and Clare Dixon and Michale Fisher} }