C4IIoT · Project

Cybersecurity Shield That Protects Connected Factory Equipment From Attacks

digitalPilotedTRL 6

Imagine your factory floor is full of smart machines all talking to each other over the internet — robots, sensors, conveyor belts. Now imagine someone hacking into one sensor and shutting down your entire production line. This project built a security system specifically designed for these industrial devices — combining hardware protection, AI-powered threat detection, encrypted communications, and blockchain-based accountability. They tested it in a real smart factory and a logistics operation to prove it works under actual industrial conditions.

By the numbers

consortium partners from across Europe

countries represented in the consortium

57%

industry partner ratio in the consortium

real-world use cases demonstrated (smart factory and inbound logistics)

levels of security mechanisms developed (hardware to software)

demonstration deliverables produced

TRL 6

technology readiness level achieved

The business problem

What needed solving

Every factory or warehouse that connects its equipment to the internet becomes a target for cyberattacks. A single compromised sensor can cascade into production shutdowns, stolen intellectual property, or manipulated process controls. Most existing cybersecurity tools were built for office IT — not for the unique challenges of industrial machines, sensors, and control systems that run 24/7 on specialized protocols.

The solution

What was built

The team delivered a complete cybersecurity system for industrial IoT with 11 demo-ready components: a minimum viable product, 3 levels of hardware-and-software security mechanisms, a threat mitigation engine, a behavioral analysis and cognitive security module, deep learning-based threat detection with dynamic offloading, encrypted network flow analysis, cloud infrastructure protection, and an integrated system tying it all together — demonstrated end-to-end in real factory and logistics environments.

Audience

Who needs this

Manufacturing companies with connected production lines (Industry 4.0 adopters)Logistics and warehousing operators with IoT-enabled supply chainsManaged security service providers (MSSPs) expanding into industrial sectorsIndustrial control system integrators building secure IIoT solutionsCritical infrastructure operators (energy, water, transport) with connected OT systems

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Manufacturing & Smart Factories

enterprise

Target: Factory operators running connected production lines with IoT sensors and automated equipment

If you are a factory operator dealing with the risk of cyberattacks on your connected production equipment — this project developed an integrated cybersecurity system with 3 levels of security mechanisms, a mitigation engine, and deep learning-based threat detection. It was demonstrated in a real smart factory environment and reached TRL 6, meaning it is ready for pilot deployment in your facility.

Logistics & Supply Chain

mid-size

Target: Logistics companies with connected warehouse and fleet management systems

If you are a logistics company worried about hackers disrupting your connected inbound logistics systems — this project built and validated a security solution specifically for industrial IoT environments. The final demonstration covered an inbound logistics use case, proving the system can detect anomalies and mitigate threats across your connected devices and sensors in real time.

Industrial Cybersecurity Services

any

Target: Managed security service providers (MSSPs) serving industrial clients

If you are a cybersecurity provider looking to expand into industrial IoT protection — this project delivered a minimum viable product with hardware-enabled security, behavioral analysis, encrypted network flow analysis, and blockchain-based accountability. With 11 demo deliverables and 14 consortium partners across 8 countries, the technology stack is validated and ready for commercial packaging.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement this cybersecurity system?

The project's EU contribution amount is not available in the dataset, so specific cost figures cannot be provided. The system was built as a minimum viable product with modular components (hardware security, AI detection, mitigation engine), so implementation costs would depend on which modules you deploy and the scale of your IoT infrastructure. Contact the consortium for pricing details.

Can this scale to a large factory with thousands of connected devices?

The system was designed specifically for Industrial IoT environments with large numbers of autonomous control systems and devices. It was demonstrated in 2 real-world use cases — a smart factory and an inbound logistics operation. The architecture includes edge-level security and dynamic offloading mechanisms to handle scale.

What is the IP situation — can I license this technology?

The project involved 14 partners across 8 countries, with 8 industrial partners and 3 SMEs. IP ownership is typically shared among consortium members under EU project rules. You would need to negotiate licensing with the relevant partners — the coordinator (IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS in Greece) can direct you to the right contact.

How mature is this technology — is it ready for real deployment?

One deliverable explicitly references TRL 6, meaning the system was demonstrated in a relevant environment. They produced a minimum viable product and ran a final demonstration. This puts it past the prototype stage but it would still need engineering work for full commercial deployment.

Does this comply with European cybersecurity regulations?

The project was funded under the EU's SU-ICT-01-2018 topic (Security) and includes deliverables on best practices for maintaining and operating the system long-term. It incorporates privacy-aware analytics and blockchain for accountability, which aligns with GDPR and NIS Directive requirements. Specific certification status should be confirmed with the consortium.

How does this integrate with existing factory systems?

The system was built to work with both Operations Technology (traditional hardware/software) and Information Technology systems, which is exactly the convergence point in modern factories. Deliverables include an integrated system with edge-level security, cloud infrastructure protection, and hardware-enabled mechanisms — designed to layer on top of existing industrial setups.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a strong, industry-heavy consortium with 14 partners across 8 countries (Switzerland, Germany, Greece, France, Israel, Italy, Serbia, UK). With 8 industrial partners making up 57% of the team and 3 SMEs in the mix, this was clearly built to produce something commercially viable — not just academic papers. The coordinator is a Greek research institution (IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS), providing scientific backbone, while the majority of partners bring real-world industrial and cybersecurity expertise. The geographic spread across major European tech hubs plus Israel gives the technology broad market awareness and potential distribution channels.

IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNASCoordinator · EL
CENTRO RICERCHE FIAT SCPAparticipant · IT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR MARKET LEADERSHIPparticipant · EL
University of Novi Sad Faculty of Sciencesparticipant · RS
THALES SIX GTS FRANCE SASparticipant · FR
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGparticipant · DE
UNIVERSITY OF GREENWICHparticipant · UK
UNIVERSITE PARIS I PANTHEON-SORBONNEparticipant · FR
HEWLETT PACKARD ITALIANA SRLparticipant · IT
SPHYNX TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS AGparticipant · CH
AEGIS IT RESEARCH GMBHparticipant · DE
IBM ISRAEL - SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LTDparticipant · IL

How to reach the team

The coordinator is IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS (FORTH) in Greece — a well-known research institute. SciTransfer can facilitate a direct introduction to the right person on the team.

Order a report on this consortium See IDRYMA TECHNOLOGIAS KAI EREVNAS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how C4IIoT's industrial cybersecurity technology could protect your connected operations? SciTransfer can arrange a briefing with the project team and help you evaluate fit for your specific setup.

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