UBITECH participates at the kick-off meeting hosted by UPRC (January 30, 2024) in Athens, Greece of the NITRO Digital Europe Action, officially started on January 1st, 2024. The project is funded by the European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 101145872) and spans on the period January 2024 – December 2026. NITRO aims to contribute to and foster the creation of a 5G-IoT cyber range which refers to a specialized cybersecurity testing and training environment that focuses on simulating and evaluating the security of 5G networks interconnected with Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications.
NITRO will provide a controlled platform where cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and organizations can study, practice, and develop skills related to securing 5G mobile networks, IoT wireless technologies and their interconnection. Moreover, this project will examine and identify novel cascading attacks that can exploit the interdependencies between various devices, systems, and network elements in interconnected 5G and IoT networks leading to a domino effect of compromised systems. On top of these, NITRO will deliver a novel set of exercises that consider adversarial AI attacks and their detection, contributing in this way in this emerging interdisciplinary field of AI and cybersecurity. The consortium will leverage existing software, tools and methodologies towards the implementation of the platform software components as well as utilize existing cyber ranges available from the partners of the proposal and results from European funded projects to integrate and deliver a unique and – first of its kind – novel 5G-IoT cyber range.
On the one hand, UBITECH drives the definition of attack and defense scenarios and training exercises for 5G-IoT networks, to provide participants with hands-on experience in securing and defending complex interconnected systems. These exercises will simulate real-world scenarios where various devices, sensors, and networks operate within a 5G-enabled environment. Participants will engage in activities such as vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, threat modelling, and incident response to strengthen their skills in identifying and mitigating potential cyber threats. Moreover, it is important to mention that trainees will learn to navigate the unique challenges posed by the convergence of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), including securing massive device connectivity, managing network slicing, and protecting critical infrastructure.
On the other hand, UBITECH drives the delivery of the integrated releases of the NITRO platform, inline with the established architecture and integration plans. In particular, UBITECH will utilize its SPIDER 5G cyber range platform, and connect it with IoT testbeds emulating IoT devices to deliver a new system that will host the 5G-IoT cyber security exercises developed.
