IMPETUS · Project

Smart City Security Toolkit That Protects Public Spaces From Physical and Cyber Threats

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Imagine a city full of cameras, pollution sensors, and traffic monitors all talking to each other — great for managing daily life, but also a hacker's dream and a privacy nightmare. IMPETUS built a security control room that ties all of this together: it spots threats (both in the streets and in the network), runs simulations to predict what happens next, and helps police and first responders act fast. They tested it live in Oslo and Padova with real city agencies. Think of it as a digital immune system for a smart city — it watches for attacks, flags privacy risks, and keeps the lights on.

By the numbers

consortium partners

countries represented

EUR 7,990,275

total EU contribution

SMEs in consortium

industry partners

pilot cities (Oslo and Padova)

total deliverables produced

core security aspects addressed (technologies, ethics, processes)

The business problem

What needed solving

Cities are rushing to install smart sensors, cameras, and connected systems — but every new device is another entry point for hackers, and every data stream raises privacy concerns. Municipal teams lack a unified way to monitor both physical threats in public spaces and cyberattacks on their infrastructure simultaneously. They need a single operational platform that lets police, first responders, and IT security work from the same picture without violating citizens' data rights.

The solution

What was built

IMPETUS produced an integrated security toolkit covering the full chain from threat detection through simulation and analysis to intervention, for both physical and cyber threats. Concrete outputs include a Big Data visualization interface (delivered as a demo component), deployment guidelines for city agencies, and ethics-compliant data handling processes. The system was field-tested in Oslo and Padova with 25 total deliverables completed.

Audience

Who needs this

City governments and smart city program offices upgrading public safety infrastructureManaged security service providers (MSSPs) serving critical infrastructure and municipal clientsPublic transport operators with networked IoT and SCADA systemsUrban surveillance and crowd management technology integratorsNational cybersecurity agencies responsible for protecting municipal critical infrastructure

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Municipal Security & Public Safety

enterprise

Target: City governments and metropolitan police agencies managing smart city infrastructure

If you are a city authority dealing with the challenge of securing hundreds of interconnected IoT sensors, cameras, and control systems across public spaces — this project developed an integrated toolkit covering detection, simulation, analysis, and intervention for both physical and cyber threats. It was field-tested in two European cities (Oslo and Padova) with real municipal teams, across a consortium of 19 partners from 11 countries.

Cybersecurity Services

mid-size

Target: Managed security service providers (MSSPs) serving critical infrastructure clients

If you are a cybersecurity firm struggling to offer unified physical-plus-cyber threat monitoring to smart infrastructure clients — this project built a multi-tenant platform that combines AI-driven threat detection with Big Data visualization. The system was designed for multiple city agencies (police, first responders, municipalities) to share one platform. With 6 industry partners and 5 SMEs in the consortium, the technology was shaped by real operational needs.

Public Transport & Utilities

enterprise

Target: Transit operators and utility companies with networked SCADA and IoT systems

If you are a transport or utility operator worried that your interconnected IT systems controlling energy, water, or transit are exposed to cyberattack — this project addressed exactly that risk. IMPETUS developed tools that leverage IoT, AI, and Big Data analysis to detect threats across interconnected city systems. The EUR 7,990,275 project included a Community of Safe and Secure Cities (COSSEC) gathering feedback from additional cities beyond the two pilot sites.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to deploy this system in our city or organization?

The full R&D effort was funded at EUR 7,990,275 across 19 partners over 30 months. Deployment costs for an individual city would depend on existing infrastructure and scale. Contact the consortium for licensing or integration pricing — SINTEF AS (Norway) coordinated the project.

Can this scale to a city larger than Oslo or Padova?

The system was designed as a multi-tenant solution for multiple city agencies to use simultaneously. Field trials ran in two cities of different sizes (Oslo and Padova), suggesting the architecture supports scaling. The COSSEC community of additional cities provided further validation feedback.

Who owns the intellectual property and how can we license it?

IP is distributed among the 19 consortium partners across 11 countries, with SINTEF AS as coordinator. As an Innovation Action under Horizon 2020, results are expected to be commercially exploitable. Licensing terms would need to be negotiated with the relevant partners.

Does this system comply with GDPR and data privacy regulations?

Ethics and privacy were one of the three core pillars of the project. IMPETUS specifically addressed balancing data collection and sharing with data privacy protection. The toolkit was designed to ensure smart city capabilities serve society while respecting personal data rights.

How long would integration take with our existing city infrastructure?

The project ran for 30 months (September 2020 to February 2023) including development and field trials. The toolkit was built to integrate with existing sensor grids and IoT systems. Deployment guidelines were developed as part of the project's process deliverables.

What specific technologies does the toolkit include?

The platform covers the complete security value chain: threat detection, simulation and analysis, and intervention tools. It includes an Interface design and Big Data visualization component, AI-powered analytics, and IoT integration. A total of 25 deliverables were produced across the project.

Is this ready to deploy today or still experimental?

As a closed Innovation Action with completed field trials in Oslo and Padova, the technology has moved past the experimental stage. The two pilot cities tested the system with real operational teams (police, first responders, municipalities). Commercial deployment would require engagement with consortium partners.

Consortium

Who built it

The IMPETUS consortium is large and well-balanced for a city security project: 19 partners across 11 countries, with 6 industry players and 5 SMEs providing commercial grounding alongside 6 universities for research depth. Crucially, two actual city governments (Padova and Oslo) led the field trials — meaning this wasn't tested in a lab but in real municipal operations. The coordinator, SINTEF AS from Norway, is one of Europe's largest independent research organizations with strong ties to industry. The 32% industry ratio and the inclusion of a broader Community of Safe and Secure Cities (COSSEC) for additional feedback suggest the project was built with real-world deployment in mind, not just academic publication.

SINTEF ASCoordinator · NO
OSLO KOMMUNEparticipant · NO
UNISMART - FONDAZIONE UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVAparticipant · IT
SOFTWARE IMAGINATION AND VISION SRLparticipant · RO
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVAparticipant · IT
INSTITUT MINES-TELECOMparticipant · FR
THALES NEDERLAND BVparticipant · NL
COMUNE DI PADOVAparticipant · IT
INSIKT INTELLIGENCE S.L.participant · ES
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI MILANOthirdparty · IT
THE INTERNATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SOCIETY AISBLparticipant · BE
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI BARI ALDO MOROthirdparty · IT
CONSORZIO INTERUNIVERSITARIO NAZIONALE PER L'INFORMATICAparticipant · IT

How to reach the team

SINTEF AS (Norway) — one of Scandinavia's largest research institutes. Search for IMPETUS project coordinator at SINTEF for direct contact.

Order a report on this consortium See SINTEF AS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how IMPETUS security tools could protect your city infrastructure? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partners and help evaluate fit for your specific needs.

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