Challenges
Cybersecurity threats remain a great challenge, potentially hindering the wide adoption of new technologies in ICT such as Industrial AI and Quantum computing. Furthermore, the integration of different modules and technologies always creates security discrepancies and discontinuities which need to be monitored in a seamless and agile manner, and as a final step, lead to the underlying system certification. However, the existence of different standards from different industries often leads to the multi-certification of common-root processes and tools. This can lead industries and manufacturers to deploy resources in an inefficient manner, due to the lack of a unified certification model for cybersecurity in ICT.
Project Objectives
COBALT envisions to deal with challenges such as the above by pursuing the following main objectives:
Build an open and unified information model for EU certification of ICT products and Quantum Computing processes and services focusing on trusted sharing of information among various stakeholders. The unified model will also offer a holistic cybersecurity repository, i.e., Evidence Repository, collecting and providing tools, procedures, practices, etc. It will also extend current practices to support International Data Spaces (IDS) primitives and further fortify trust among different stakeholders.
Develop Continuous Certification functionality leveraging Digital Twinning to model, analyse and certify different processes from different verticals, and verify whether by certifying the DT its physical counterpart is effectively certified. COBALT will also develop secure Digital Threads for different processes across the value chain and aim to standardise DT and physical system symbiosis in a holistic manner. This will save resources from redundant re-certification and enable continuous assessment.
Addressing Quantum High Performance Computing (HPC) and AI certification, by assessing and analysing existing procedures and processes in the FOKUS Quantum Computer lab and the joint BOSCH/BGSG I4.0 use case. The analysis will provide the necessary feedback to integrate the necessary COBALT tools for stakeholders to assess the risk and criticality of European Quantum infrastructure.
Demonstrate and showcase the developed framework in a set of cutting-edge pilot use cases focusing on I4.0, Quantum, and ICT infrastructure. The decentralised service toolset will ensure trusted communication exchange across the different pilots and COBALT-as-a-whole will enable essential data and information exchange so that verticals benefit from each other in a multi-modal manner.
Maximise the impact of the COBALT results via extensive communication, scientific dissemination, and exploitation activities. Foster the creation of an open-source community around the COBALT solution, engaging a diverse set of stakeholders. Furthermore, through the extensive pilots quantify the actual value brought to the business.
eBOS Role in the Project
eBOS will lead the effort towards maximising the impact of the COBALT results through:
Market Analysis and Strategy Definition including SWOT/PEST, Cost-Benefit and Cost Effectiveness Analysis;
Socio-Economical Sustainability Analysis, COBALT Ecosystem Business Models and Uptake Roadmap, coordinating the overall business development activities of the project;
Dissemination, Communication and Awareness Campaigns, undertaking all activities relevant to the outreach activities and diffusion of the project;
Standardisation and Empowering European Cybersecurity Certification, investigating the current relevant legislation and standardisation landscape, defining a robust standardisation strategy for COBALT results and harmonising the use of digital sovereign identity.
Furthermore, eBOS will have significant involvement in developing the techniques for assessing and managing the risk associated to the target of evaluation during its whole life cycle as well as the development of the COBALT Continuous Certification Toolkit. In addition, eBOS will participate in the integration of the COBALT ecosystem and the demonstrations on the I4.0 and Quantum domains, that will showcase the advantages of the COBALT unified certification framework.
Consortium
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
