Cyber Physical Systems Security

We live in a society that is becoming more dependent on connectivity; our lives are becoming more dependent on connectivity. Wireless and keyless locks are being marketed, medical devices are networked, GPS devices tell us our position and the current time. Indeed we live in a world with the cyber physical systems aka the Internet of Things (IoT).

SwRI provides two major services for Cyber Physical Systems Security: we provide development services to help build secure systems and we provide testing of final or prototype products to identify security vulnerabilities. These services concentrate on the connectivity aspects of these products, not on the intended market domain, i.e. it is the wired or wireless connections of a device not the service the device provides.

Cyber Physical Systems Security is an inherently inter-disciplinary domain. Most organizations offering security services are focused on information technology (IT) or have expertise in only one aspect of cyber security, e.g. hardware, software or communications. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) takes a holistic approach to cyber-security and has staff with experience in all relevant areas. We provide security testing of networks, systems, software and embedded devices.

GPS Cybersecurity & Timing

Some industries today make use of the very precise timing that can be provided by GPS. The timing relies on GPS signals which are susceptible to spoofing that can cause timing aberrations and result in losses both physical and financial. SwRI has developed TReS a technique that detects and “flywheels” through the timing aberrations to prevent these losses. SwRI has also developed a system to legally test GPS spoofing vulnerabilities in Automated Driving Systems & UGVs and other Automotive Cyber Security applications.

Expertise & Capabilities

SwRI has core competencies in systems engineering, computer networking, embedded systems, software development, computer networking, and real-time operating systems to solve the security challenges presented.

• Anomaly Detection
• Bluetooth Security
• Critical Infrastructure Security
• GPS Cybersecurity
• Industrial Control Systems
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• OT Cybersecurity
• Penetration Testing
• Protocol Fuzzing
• SCADA
• Security Assessment
• Smart Grid Security
• Transportation Systems Sector Cybersecurity