Browsing by Author "Alqudhaibi, Adel"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Cybersecurity 4.0: safeguarding trust and production in the digital food industry era
    (Springer, 2024-01-04) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Krishna, Ashish; Jagtap, Sandeep; Williams, Nikki; Afy-Shararah, Mohamed; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    The food industry is vital manufacturing sector globally, with an ever-increasing reliance on digitalisation and technology-driven processes. However, this advancement introduces inherent cyberattack risks, encompassing data breaches and system disruptions, which can severely impact production and disrupt the entire food chain. Consequently, cyber threats can evoke fear and mistrust among consumers, potentially tarnishing a company's brand. This paper presents a comprehensive research methodology, including an extensive literature review and a detailed survey, aimed at assessing the current state of cybersecurity within the food industry. The problem at hand is the industry's apparent lack of robust cybersecurity measures to protect against the growing threat landscape, which this research aims to address. Our findings reveal a clear gap in cybersecurity preparedness within the food industry, with potential vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cyber adversaries. In response, we propose a specialised security framework designed to mitigate these risks. The framework is built upon a thorough analysis of the industry's existing cybersecurity posture and the identification of both current and emerging cyber threats. The contribution of this research relies in the development of a security framework that strengthens the industry's cyber defenses, thereby enhancing its competitive advantage. The framework emphasizes the importance of continuous employee education and training as a cornerstone for improving the security environment. Enhancing the security environment through ongoing employee education and training is crucial for fostering consumer trust and enabling seamless growth within the industry. By adopting a proactive approach to cybersecurity, the food industry can ensure the sustainability and reliability of its operations in the face of evolving cyber threats.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Identifying and predicting cybersecurity threats in industry 4.0 based on the motivations towards a critical infrastructure
    (IOS Press, 2022-09-08) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Aloseel, Abdulmohsan; Jagtap, Sandeep; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is an emerging concept describing the business setting application of a broad set of digitalisation technologies, connectivity, and automation. The most common critical infrastructure (CI) uses Industrial Control Systems (ICS) for operation and supervisory control. However, the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Internet of things (IoT) systems are examples of ICSs applications. These systems, like any other systems exposed to many security risks and are vulnerable to many threats. This is mainly due to the lack of objective standards and proactive security countermeasures that companies unintentionally neglected in the early stages of designing these systems. It is also due to the absence of managerial and technical skills necessary to implement them. Therefore, identifying and preventing potential security threats against CIs is the focus of this paper. A novel security approach concept that can predict cybersecurity threats based on the CI nature and take into consideration the attack motivations accordingly has been delivered in this paper. The proposed concept of this approach will also facilitate the detection of potential attack types and the required countermeasures in particular infrastructures.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Predicting cybersecurity threats in critical infrastructure for Industry 4.0: a proactive approach based on attacker motivations
    (MDPI, 2023-05-06) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Albarrak, Majed; Aloseel, Abdulmohsan; Jagtap, Sandeep; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    n Industry 4.0, manufacturing and critical systems require high levels of flexibility and resilience for dynamic outcomes. Industrial Control Systems (ICS), specifically Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, are commonly used for operation and control of Critical Infrastructure (CI). However, due to the lack of security controls, standards, and proactive security measures in the design of these systems, they have security risks and vulnerabilities. Therefore, efficient and effective security solutions are needed to secure the conjunction between CI and I4.0 applications. This paper predicts potential cyberattacks and threats against CI systems by considering attacker motivations and using machine learning models. The approach presents a novel cybersecurity prediction technique that forecasts potential attack methods, depending on specific CI and attacker motivations. The proposed model’s accuracy in terms of False Positive Rate (FPR) reached 66% with the trained and test datasets. This proactive approach predicts potential attack methods based on specific CI and attacker motivations, and doubling the trained data sets will improve the accuracy of the proposed model in the future.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Securing industry 4.0: Assessing cybersecurity challenges and proposing strategies for manufacturing management
    (Elsevier, 2024-08-02) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Albarrak, Majed; Jagtap, Sandeep; Williams, Nikki; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    Industry 4.0 represents the foundation of the fourth industrial revolution, characterised by the integration of innovative technology into the manufacturing process. This integration enhances automation, diagnostics, data analysis, and autonomous decision-making through the networking of equipment and machinery. However, the increased reliance on technology raises concerns about the implementation and maintenance of cybersecurity. This paper aims to address cybersecurity challenges in the manufacturing industry and suggest strategies to reduce risks. In particular, it examines the level of awareness and understanding of cybersecurity issues among manufacturing employees, establishes accountability for cyberattacks, and evaluates the effectiveness of existing industry practices. The current cybersecurity landscape in the manufacturing industry was thoroughly analysed. Data were gathered through surveys, interviews, and case studies to measure awareness, identify knowledge gaps, and assess existing practices. The research findings indicate a significant knowledge gap regarding cybersecurity among manufacturing employees. This vulnerability can be attributed to the lack of funding and training, especially compared to the resources provided to information technology departments and corporate employees. The study emphasises the importance of redirecting cybersecurity resources and protocols towards the manufacturing industry. This paper puts forward a series of recommendations to mitigate risks and safeguard the manufacturing industry.
  • Thumbnail Image
    ItemOpen Access
    Towards a sustainable future: developing a cybersecurity framework for manufacturing
    (Emerald, 2023-07-21) Alqudhaibi, Adel; Deshpande, Sourav; Jagtap, Sandeep; Salonitis, Konstantinos
    Purpose: This study aims to propose a cybersecurity framework that prioritizes sustainability in the manufacturing sector by identifying necessary resources and capabilities for effective cybersecurity management. The proposed framework aims to enhance resource protection and safeguard data confidentiality, integrity and accessibility, provide proactive steps for predicting cyber threats and highlight the importance of educating employees at all levels of the organization. Design/methodology/approach: A thorough review of existing literature and analysis was conducted to develop the proposed cybersecurity framework. Several frameworks, including the NIST cybersecurity framework, were reviewed to identify the necessary skills and resources required to combat cyber threats and keep businesses sustainable. Findings: The proposed framework includes proactive steps, such as predicting cyber threats, and emphasizes the importance of educating employees and raising awareness at all levels of the organization. Resilience is also emphasized, which refers to an organization's ability to recover and continue operations following a cyberattack. Implementing this framework may require a significant budget and time investment, and small organizations may face limitations in applying all aspects of the framework. Originality/value: This study proposes a cybersecurity framework that prioritizes sustainability in the manufacturing sector, which provides added protection for organizations. The framework's key functions can be adopted partially or fully, making it suitable for organizations of varying sizes. Future research can focus on addressing the framework's limitations and shortcomings to further reduce cyber risks for sustainable manufacturing, establishing the scale of an industry based on its economy and extending the framework to non-manufacturing businesses.