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Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - STOP-IT (Strategic, Tactical, Operational Protection of water Infrastructure against cyber-physical Threats)

Teaser

Summary

The STOP-IT project aims at developing and demonstrating innovative technologies, methodologies and approaches to protect water critical infrastructure (CI) against physical and cyber threats. The project brings together a team of Water Utilities, industrial technology developers, high tech SMEs and top EU R&D providers. It organizes communities of practice for water systems protection to co-develop an all-hazards risk management framework. Prevention, Detection, Response and Mitigation of relevant risks at strategic, tactical and operational levels of planning are taken into account to generate modular solutions and an integrated platform. STOP-IT solutions are based on: a) mature technologies improved via their combination and embedment and b) novel technologies whose TRL is increased. STOP-IT solutions are demonstrated through a front-runner/follower approach where 4 advanced utilities, AigÃ¼es de Barcelona (ES), Berliner Wasserbetriebe (DE), MEKOROT (IL) and Oslo VAV (NO) are twinned with 4 ambitious ones to stimulate mutual learning, transfer and uptake (EMASAGRA (ES), Hessenwaser (DE), Bergen City (NO) and DeWatergroep (BE)). Building on this solid basis STOP-IT will deliver high impact through the creation of hands-on training and best practice guidelines, as well as by fostering market opportunities, also leveraging the EU water technology platform\'s multi-stakeholder network.

Work performed

\"STOP-IT has made its first achievements towards the development of the framework for the strategic, tactical and operational protection of critical water infrastructures against physical and cyber threats.
The first achievement has been the establishment of the STOP-IT Communities of Practice (CoPs) in three different levels (Local CoPs, Project CoPs, Trans-project CoPs). By the CoPs activities, the striven multi-stakeholder approach is realized in the project, enabling mutual learning and a structured knowledge management.
At strategic and tactical level the project has developed a comprehensive risk identification database; agreed on a conceptual approach upon which to build the overall STOP-IT methodology for risk assessment and treatment; delivered the \"\"asset vulnerability assessment tool\"\"; consolidated a cyber-physical risk management ontology and well advanced in the development of several tools which will form the Risk Analysis and Evaluation Toolkit.
At operational level, the technical solutions for \"\"IT and SCADA security\"\" and \"\"Physical protection of water CI\"\" have been selected and described in project progress reports; the work has also progressed substantially towards the development of those solutions, to be finalized during next reporting period.
The solutions at strategic, tactical and operational level will be modular components of the STOP-IT platform. The design architecture of the STOP-IT platform has been finalized and described in a project progress report and be used all along the project as the baseline for the features the STOP-IT system must provide. The STOP-IT platform includes 9 modular components that will use a total of 33 tools, methods and services brought by the STOP-IT consortium partners and developed up to at least TRL7.
The technical demonstration phase at FRs has started by delivering a project progress report for the demo preparation, where the solutions to be tested at each site are descried together with a preliminary explanation of the scenarios that will be used.
To enhance practical knowledge on effective cyber-physical water infrastructure protection, the main training requirements and materials needed for three different end-user profiles have been identified and described in a project report as basis for the subsequent design and production planned for the second reporting period.
The STOP-IT dissemination tools, strategies and materials have been developed and produced. To support the STOP-IT industrial partners on their route to market, STOP-IT has developed e.g. a stakeholder analysis, a first version of the exploitation and business plan, and already performed two exploitation workshops.\"

Final results

STOP-IT will advance beyond the current state of the art in several aspects related to the development of a holistic system that will provide prevention, detection, response and mitigation of the combination of physical and cyber threats to the water infrastructure of Europe.
The final results of STOP-IT will be:
1. The STOP-IT platform, as Scalable, Adaptable and Flexible solution to support strategic/tactical planning, real-time/operational decision making and post-action assessment for the key parts of the water infrastructure.
2. Training material, based on the technological solutions and lessons learnt from the demonstration and designed for different user profiles.
3. Best practice guidelines for practitioners regarding the support and management of the CoPs in the sensitive field of critical infrastructure.
4. A maximised market reach and impact of the solutions developed within STOP-IT.
How will STOP-IT strengthen competitiveness and growth of companies?
Boosting growth of companies in critical infrastructure protection: STOP-IT will promote its project results with new recommendations for policy development of measures to enhance resilience of CIs. SMEs therefore will be able to deliver innovations based on STOP-IT results and acting as either final providers or supply chain providers for large integrators. STOP-IT will also foster security R&D innovations by delivering a new set of modelling solutions and technologies, for current and future threats and changes that might apply to CIs and their related services.
Boosting European competitiveness in CIP: Being capital intensive, the future of the EU market for innovation, such as Industrial Internet of Things, will depend on the ability of the European industrial sector to achieve cost reductions over time, including security as a fundamental pillar (security-by-design). In this context, STOP-IT proposes radical changes via a robust, transferable and flexible strategic and tactical risk framework and associated toolkit able to analyse and evaluate physical and cyber risks on water CIs. Such system will be able to reduce capital investment in controlling and solving security threats for water-related CIs. Thus, STOP-IT will have a significant effect on the EU competitiveness in the field of technical and digital security regarding secure communication, anomaly detection, technology assessment, trainings, etc.
What benefits will STOP-IT bring to society?
By reducing the probability and/or mitigating the consequences of risk events due to physical â€“ cyber-attacks, STOP-IT addresses real threats to society (i.e. deliberate attacks leading to water contamination) and documented societal security need(s) (e.g. health and safety, environment).
By developing secure system for communication in case of emergency situations, STOP-IT will increase the protection level of water consumers.
STOP-IT will provide knowledge and technology to end users for better preparedness for water CI-related emergencies: improved competence and preparedness of the water utilities operators will in turn contribute to the provision of a more reliable and secure water service to society.
STOP-IT will strengthen the community involvement and increase awareness on the potential threats by enhancing a dedicated participatory environment and dedicated communication and dissemination activities.