| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/N007115/1 |
| Title: |
ImmunoHopping: Creating New Nature Inspired Cyber Defences |
| Principal Investigator: |
Greensmith, Dr J |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
School of Computer Science |
| Organisation: |
University of Nottingham |
| Scheme: |
Discipline Hopping Awards |
| Starts: |
01 September 2015 |
Ends: |
15 June 2017 |
Value (£): |
101,309
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
| Artificial Intelligence |
Fundamentals of Computing |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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15 Jul 2015
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EPSRC ICT Prioritisation Panel - Jul 2015
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
The Internet of Things has great potential to revolutionise the way in which we deploy networked devices, and to provide networking capability to every-day objects, making them 'smart objects'. Security should be at the core of these newly developed smart objects, but innovation is outstripping the development of security in this context. There is much emphasis on the positive side of this technology without considering the negative implications. It is not too challenging to think of many ways how the Internet of Things can be abused letting outsiders in through a digital ruse. This would include intruders gaining access to a lighting system, to remotely switch off the lights in a property, to assist in home burglary. Its also not too far of stretch to imagine an intruder turning on a cooker remotely, with the potential to cause a form of "digital arson" which we have never before experienced. Yes, it is amazing to be able to text your cooker so that dinner is ready when you get home. However, do we really want these features if it leaves us vulnerable to digital attack on our properties?
Vast improvements need to be made in the state of the art of cyber defences in order to prepare and protect ourselves for the imminent innovations in digital technology. Novel and effective solutions in computer based security are imperative to research as current techniques may not prove effective in this new context. In order to create the next generation of cyber defence tools we must look to new sources of inspiration. One of these can be in the form of studying how this problem is solved in natural systems, in particular the defence and response mechanisms of the human immune system.
Artificial immune systems (AIS) are one potential solution which may have significant impact on future cyber defence. They are designed to solve computational problems through studying natural mechanisms in immunology. Current research in AIS for computer security focuses purely on detection of anomalies, leaving the user to respond to the detected threat. Few of these systems actually produce any form of response as a result of detecting a potential intrusion. This is problematic in the Internet of Things as the responsibility would lie with the homeowner who is not a cyber security expert, leaving homes potentially vulnerable to digital intrusions. The novelty of this proposed research is to create a prototype responsive artificial immune system - RAIS, which can both detect intruders and produce appropriate responses in order to mitigate the problem of automatically responding intrusion detection systems. Persistent engagement with a cyber defence stakeholder will ensure that the prototype system is useful in cyber defence applications.
Our approach to this is to perform a deep interdisciplinary study of the translation of detection to response within the human immune system by modelling immune responses. A mechanism in immunology termed the 'immunological synapse' will be studied form the basis of a model used to create a novel blueprint for the responsive artificial immune system. This will occur through constructing agent-based models of the natural system from which these necessary properties can be abstracted by looking at how two cell types, Dendritic Cells and T-helper cells interact to produce immune responses to pathogens. We will model this interaction using knowledge already amassed by the host group, and aim to extend the research through performing further experiments to refine these models. The discipline hop is to be hosted within an immunology lab, whose research aims to understand immune mechanisms of response in order to create immunotherapies for treating cancers, by turning the immune system against detected tumour cells. Understanding of natural immune responses is key for both the future developments of artificial immune systems and also in how to use the immune system therapeutically in the fight against cancer.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk |