BSC will focus mainly on analysing the timing behaviour of software applications running on multi-core systems which may be a threat for safety and security.
How can we ensure that safety-critical embedded systems, such as flight-control systems or automotive drive-by-wire technology, are protected from security threats? The SAFURE project, which began on 1 February, is responding to this issue by creating a methodology which ensures safety and security by design in cyber-physical systems. This methodology is enabled by a framework to extend system capabilities in order to control the concurrent effects of security threats on system behaviour.
SAFURE, which stands for Safety and Security by Design for Interconnected Mixed-Critical Cyber-Physical Systems, aims to:
- implement a holistic approach to safety and security of embedded dependable systems, preventing and detecting potential attacks;
- empower designers and developers by providing them with analysis methods, development tools and execution capabilities that jointly consider security and safety;
- lay the groundwork for the development of SAFURE-compliant mixed-critical embedded products.
The project will produce a suite of resources for this essential area, including:
- a framework with the capability to detect, prevent and protect from security threats on safety, the ability to monitor system integrity from application level down to the hardware level including time, energy, temperature and data integrity;
- a methodology that supports the joint design of safety and security of embedded systems, offering tools and modelling language extensions for designers and developers;
- three industrial use cases in the automotive and telecommunications sectors to illustrate proof of concept;
- recommendations for extensions of standards to integrate security on safety-critical systems;
- specifications to design and develop SAFURE-compliant products.
Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), one of 12 partners in this innovative project, will focus mainly on analysing the timing behaviour of software applications running on multi-core systems which may be a threat for safety and security. BSC will also contribute to the telecommunications use case.
Francisco J. Cazorla and Jaume Abella are BSC’s main technical representatives in the project. Both agree that ‘currently, it is necessary either to develop independent solutions for safety and security in embedded real-time systems or to simply isolate systems. SAFURE will remove this need in many cases. This brings benefits in terms of reduced costs, but introduces new challenges in the development of safe and secure real-time systems, which the project will also address.’
