iTrust6G

Description:

iTrust6G aims at designing and implementing a network architecture implementing zero-trust principles to increase the trustworthiness of 6G networks at several levels: AI/ML algorithm exploited for threat handling, asset compliance, explainable security policies and asset observability.

The project aims to improve the accuracy and the efficiency of:

• Methodologies used for trust determination (e.g., time to share cyber-threat intelligence, duration of the vulnerability assessment procedure, number of assurance conformity checks).
• The performance of the security procedures involved (e.g. number of classes of monitored resources, mean time-to-detection of threat, mean time-to-reaction).
• The induced overhead over network resources exploitation (e.g., performance overhead due to the programmability models).

iTrust6G will exploit AI/ML for security management purposes (enacting security automation and contributing to the security of the service orchestration), trust management (via the trust assessment process), and at the control layer (for threat detection and mitigation purposes). Within the project, the i2CAT Foundation act as the Scientific & Technical coordinator, leads the preparation of the project’s architecture and oversees Work Package 5 – AI-Enabled Security Orchestration and Programmability – and, particularly, leads Task 5.1 – Programmable Resource Generation and deployment-. Within this task, researchers will ease the secure conception and the development of network services operated in 6G networks by selecting and integrating adequate security enablers in resources to protect. To that extent, they will define the interfaces needed to program and configure security enablers, service orchestrators and runtime to cope with various security requirements and inspect the security posture of a resource. They will also investigate novel virtualisation models facilitating security programmability at design and operation times. Within this task, researchers will elaborate a policy model to express those security requirements consistently, extending the Topology and Orchestration Specification for Cloud Applications (TOSCA) modelling language. Finally, they will evaluate several models to conduct the programmability at different steps of the resource lifetime (design, deployment, and operation phases) and will conceive a resource generator to conduct design-time programmable actions.

The project envisions 3 use cases to validate the technological developments within iTrust6G.

• Use Case 1- Dynamic security orchestration and trust establishment in multi-stakeholder and multi-domain environments. The objective is dynamic security orchestration and trust establishment in a multi-stakeholder and multi-domain environment.
• Use Case 2—Operational security and trust re-evaluation. The goal is to validate the robustness of iTrust6G operational security mechanisms, including attack detection, mitigation, and forensics, in the presence of attacks.
• Use Case 3—Programmable Security as a Service. The objective is to validate the flexibility and agility of security mechanisms’ programmability at multiple levels based on the status of the application service.

Estimated impact:

Economic impacts

• EU Leadership in network security technology segment
• OPEX/CAPEX savings in various cybersecurity enforcement

Societal impacts

• Secure and Trusted communication services for public and enterprises
• Trusted Network Services for new Vertical Applications and Use Cases

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 or the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking as granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.