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START research travels far in the cyber-physical domain

Lawrence Livermore National Labs (LLNL) is using a START cyber-physical attack dataset to assist in one of their projects to better understand adversaries’ multi-domain behavior and motivations. START researchers collected the first-of-its-kind Significant Multi-Domain Incidents against Critical Infrastructure (SMICI) dataset by using only publicly available information.

“This dataset will support the Department of Energy's Electric Subsector Risk Characterization project,” LLNL researcher Heather Scott said. “The goal of the project is to create an all-hazard risk assessment including both natural and intelligent adversary hazards. As part of the methodology, LLNL requires data on the frequency of historical cyberattacks on U.S. critical infrastructure, which this dataset assists in providing.”

To be included in the dataset, attacks had to have originated from cyberspace, targeted a critical infrastructure sector and have been either a disruptive cyber-physical incident – an attack that has a direct effect in the physical space – or a disruptive cyber-operational incident – an attack that has an effect in the cyber realm which causes disruptions in the physical space.

Read the 2019 “Significant Multi-Domain Incidents against Critical Infrastructure (SMICI) Dataset” research brief.