Visible to the public Workshop on Future Directions in Cyber-Physical Systems Security

Workshop Objectives

The objective of the workshop was to provide a forum for researchers, subject matter experts, and practitioners dealing with cyber-physical systems security to assess the current state of the art, identify challenges, and provide input to developing strategies for addressing these challenges. Six specific infrastructure sectors were considered:

  • Energy—Electricity
  • Chemical
  • Transportation—Aerospace
  • Water—Drinking Water/Wastewater
  • Healthcare and Public Health—Medical Devices
  • Commercial Facilities—Buildings.

The focus of the workshop was on the security of cyber-physical systems. A cyber-physical system (CPS) is a system of systems where there is a tight coupling between the computing component of the system and the physical components, underlying processes, and policies governing these systems. “Cyber-Physical Systems” is an evolving area that is an important and distinct part of the cyber infrastructure. Cyber-physical systems are prevalent in almost all infrastructures, including transportation; chemical, water, and wastewater; healthcare; and energy. Given current trends, it is clear that we are moving toward “smart” infrastructures: smart power grid, smart buildings, smart bridges, smart cars, embedded medical devices, and robotic assistance for the elderly. Interconnections created by CPSs form a complex, interdependent system of systems across national and international critical infrastructures. Security threats to CPS pose significant risk to the health and safety of human lives, threaten severe damage to the environment, and could impose a adverse impact on the economy.

Workshop Report

The workshop report is available online to view and download at http://www.ee.washington.edu/faculty/radha/dhs_cps.pdf

Event Details
Location: 
Newark, NJ