CIDLab Background
Motivated by the launch of the IEEE Critical Infrastructure Dependability Initiative, the Critical Infrastructure Dependability Laboratory USA (CIDLab USA) in the Non Lethal Technology Innovation Center at the University of New Hampshire was created in response to a request from the State of New Hampshire and the NH Infrastructure Protection Advanced Technology Alliance.
In response to the request from the ETI Dean, the IEEE Critical Infrastructure Dependability Initiative, and the Gdansk Security Cluster, the Critical Infrastructure Dependability Laboratory Europe (CIDLab EU) in the ETI Faculty at the Gdansk University of Technology was established.
Critical infrastructure is a term used by governments at all levels to describe material assets and integrated networks that are essential for the functioning of a society and economy. In computer science, dependability is defined as the trustworthiness of a computing system which allows reliance to be justifiably placed on the service it delivers. Dependability includes the following attributes of a computing system: Availability: readiness for correct service; Reliability: continuity of correct service; Safety: absence of catastrophic consequences on the user(s) and the environment; Security: the concurrent existence of (a) availability for authorized users only, (b) confidentiality, and (c) integrity.
Because of the impact of globalization, the importance of transatlantic maritime commerce, and the need of mutual learning from experiences in the United States and Europe, the Critical Infrastructure Dependability Laboratory is a single entity that combines and integrates both the European and US parts.
The mission of the laboratory is the design, experiment, implement, verify, and test of systems, ranging from microelectronics to globally accessible constellations of sensor networks. The lab supports interdisciplinary research and education, standards development and compliance assurance in critical infrastructures, cooperation with industry, governments and non-profit organizations, and promotes innovative collaboration methods, especially between Europe and the United States . CIDLab supports applications in space, oceans, networking, and environments. In general, the lab is intended to support a transatlantic security curriculum being developed at the University of New Hampshire in cooperation with the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.
[1] "IEEE-USA Launches Critical Infrastructure Protection Committee", IEEE-USA Today's Engineer Digest, December 2006.