Security framework for industrial collaborative robotic cyber-physical systems

The paper introduces a security framework for the application of human-robot collaboration in a futuristic industrial cyber-physical system (CPS) context of industry 4.0. The basic elements and functional requirements of a secure collaborative robotic cyber-physical system are explained and then the cyber-attack modes are discussed in the context of collaborative CPS whereas a defense mechanism strategy is proposed for such a complex system. The cyber-attacks are categorized according to the extent on controllability and the possible effects on the performance and efficiency of such CPS. The paper also describes the severity and categorization of such cyber-attacks and the causal effect on the human worker safety during human-robot collaboration. Attacks in three dimensions of availability, authentication and confidentiality are proposed as the basis of a consolidated mitigation plan. We propose a security framework based on a two-pronged strategy where the impact of this methodology is demonstrated on a teleoperation benchmark (NeCS-Car). The mitigation strategy includes enhanced data security at important interconnected adaptor nodes and development of an intelligent module that employs a concept similar to system health monitoring and reconfiguration

Understanding vulnerabilities in cyber physical production systems

Development of future manufacturing systems is featured with flexibility, mass customization, intelligence and context based learning to produce smart products. These production systems are characterized through networked, cooperating objects called cyber physical systems (CPSs). From the manufacturing perspective, the ability to communicate data and develop interaction between devices, manufacturing machinery, raw materials, working robots, humans and the plant environment develops the concept of cyber physical production systems (CPPS). Human-robot collaboration is a technology area that will be an integrated part of the future factory floor and the CPPS. With the involvement of human part in the automated system industrial scenarios, practical safety issues are expected to arise in the connected environment due to the use of a large number of devices, sensors, and cloud services causing complex network, IP conflicts, compromised nodes and communication issues. This all may lead to occupational safety issues on the factory floor in different ways and combinations. Overall, the system's physical vulnerability will be increased in the context of compromised connected working space and cyber-security. In this paper, the authors developed a risk assessment based on system vulnerability of a CPPS developed for a use case requirement and performed a simulated approach by launching a cyber-attack and measuring the causal effect to identify implications on human worker safety

From Cloud-Native to 5G-Ready Vertical Applications: An Industry 4.0 Use Case

This paper aims to showcase the ability of the MATILDA Platform to enable vertical applications fully utilizing the capabilities offered by the fifth generation of mobile networks (5G). Although 5G, powered by network slicing and edge computing, promises to flexibly support radically new and extremely heterogeneous vertical applications, vertical stakeholders generally lack both the skills to exploit the full potentials of 5G networks and the vision of the underlying resources, owned by Telecom providers that are reluctant to expose them in an unmediated way. The MATILDA platform bridges the gap between the vertical application and the network service domains. This paper presents the case of an Industry 4.0 application, and highlights the role played by the MATILDA solution in its successful deployment and orchestration

Genetic determination and localization of multiple bacteriocins produced by Enterococcus faecium CWBI-B1430 and Enterococcus mundtii CWBI-B1431

peer reviewedEnterococcus faecium CWBI-B1430 and Enterococcus mundtii CWBI-B1431 from artisanalproduced Peruvian cheeses showed the presence of 4 putative bacteriocin genes: enterocin A, enterocin B, enterocin P, and mundticin KS. The multiple bacteriocin producer E. faecium CWBI-B1430 presented 1 plasmid of 34.6 kb, whereas E. mundtii CWBI-B1431 contained 1 plasmid of 11.0 kb. The structural gene responsible for mundticin KS production was located on 5.6 and 3.1 kb HindIII plasmid fragments. The reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed the expression of the bacteriocin genes enterocin A, enterocin B, and mundticin KS in E. faecium CWBI-B1430 and the bacteriocin genes enterocin P and mundticin KS in E. mundtii CWBI-B1431. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the expression of mundticin KS in E. faecium and enterocin P in E. mundtii