The advancement of technology and accelerating digital transformation has increased the importance of protecting Critical National Infrastructures (CNI) by leveraging the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), as traditional security measures are insufficient to protect these assets.
In this article, let’s delve into a podcast episode of nybl Voices titled “The importance of AI for cyber-physical security in Critical National Infrastructures,” which brought together the leading voices in the field – Shriprakash Pandey, Chairman and Managing Director of Commtel Networks and Noor Alnahhas, Co-founder and CEO of nybl, to provide insights into the cyber-physical security challenges facing CNI today and how AI can enhance cyber-physical security in CNI.
Critical National Infrastructures and Cyber-Physical Security
Critical National Infrastructures are the assets that reflect every aspect of society- water supply, power generation and distribution, refineries, transportation, health, and more. Safeguarding these critical infrastructures requires integrated cyber-physical security intelligence systems.
According to Shriprakash Pandey, cyber-physical security is interconnected, emphasizing a physical presence behind every cyber-attack, and he argues that today’s security operations, which work in silos, are inadequate for the protection of critical infrastructures. Therefore, we need integrated security intelligence systems that harness the power of AI, machine learning (ML), and big data analytics to protect critical infrastructures in various sectors.
Cyber-Physical Security Challenges for Critical National Infrastructures
CNI is a complex ecosystem encompassing facilities, processes, networks, systems, and all other aspects essential for a country to function. Noor Alnahhas emphasizes that managing and controlling all these critical infrastructures effectively is not possible by humans. It requires innovative technology solutions as any disruption in such systems could significantly impact the nation’s security, economic stability, public health, safety systems, etc.
Supply chain attacks are another significant challenge that needs immediate attention; for example, gas pipeline attacks in a country can disrupt gas distribution in numerous areas, and the resulting gas leakage leads to environmental destruction. Therefore, the emerging cyber-attack situations emphasize the need for AI-enabled solutions to manage all these systems from one platform, making it easy to identify, address, and mitigate the risk of cyber-attacks.
Utilizing AI to Enhance Cyber-Physical Security in CNI
Today, physical security is purely managed by people; however, it’s impractical to oversee a giant facility with thousands of cameras for security checks. Here is what AI means for cyber-physical security. In the opinion of Noor Alnahhas, deploying AI solutions is not a luxury, and it’s a must for a technologically evolving world. AI enables us to secure critical infrastructures by monitoring thousands of cameras and keeping us alert when any unauthorised person tries to disrupt the system. It’s not only about the cameras but also about fiber optic intrusions, radar sensors, and more.
According to Shriprakash, integrating machine learning and deep automation into AI solutions also allows for initiating countermeasures by understanding and analysing situations automatically. He also emphasizes that it’s not about reducing human power; it’s about efficiently using human power or reskilling people to make decisions based on these data for the betterment of humanity.
Final Thoughts: Potential Impact of Collaboration Between nybl and Commtel Networks on Cyber-Physical Security in CNI
The partnership between nybl, a leading AI-powered solutions provider, and Commtel Networks, a provider of unified critical communication along with surveillance, security, safety, and AI solutions for critical infrastructure sectors, including oil and gas, telecommunication, power, and mining. Through the development of intelligent AI software applications, nybl enhances CNI’s cyber-physical security, facilitating effective prediction, detection, and response to threats. nybl’s leading-edge technology also allows for centralizing and overseeing security data from one unified center. It facilitates enhanced cyber-physical security, making it easier to monitor and manage potential threats in real-time.
Noor Alnahhas believes that being the first customer, investor, and partner of nybl, the alliance with Commtel Networks allows combining their expertise in building security systems and telecom system integration for critical infrastructures to develop leading-edge AI software solutions for specific use cases in CNI.
