SciTransfer
SPARTA · Project

Europe's Cybersecurity Toolkit: Threat Intelligence, Training, and Protection for Critical Infrastructure

digitalTestedTRL 6
sparta.eu

Imagine Europe has thousands of brilliant cybersecurity experts, but they're all working in separate rooms and never talking to each other. SPARTA brought 47 organizations from 14 countries into one room to build shared cybersecurity tools — things like a visual dashboard that spots cyber threats, a common language for sharing threat data, and hands-on training programs. They tested these tools on real energy systems like smart microgrids and smart buildings, proving they work where it matters most.

By the numbers
EUR 16 million
EU contribution for cybersecurity research and tool development
47
consortium partners across Europe
14
countries represented in the consortium
61
total project deliverables produced
10
SMEs involved in the project
9
industry partners in the consortium
The business problem

What needed solving

European companies face growing cybersecurity threats but struggle with fragmented threat intelligence, insufficient trained staff, and lack of standardized tools for sharing attack data across borders. Critical infrastructure operators — especially in energy — need cybersecurity solutions tested in real operational environments, not just lab settings. With cyber incidents rising and regulations tightening, businesses need proven tools and trained teams, but building everything from scratch is too slow and expensive.

The solution

What was built

SPARTA produced 61 deliverables including a visual analytics system for real-time cybersecurity threat analysis, a common data model for sharing threat intelligence based on ENISA standards, and a cyber training and exercise framework piloted at multiple locations. These were demonstrated on real energy infrastructure — a Smart Polygeneration Microgrid and a Smart Energy Building — proving they work outside the lab.

Audience

Who needs this

Energy utility companies operating smart grids or microgrids needing OT cybersecurityBanks and financial institutions upgrading their Security Operations CentersManufacturers with connected production lines exposed to cyber threatsGovernment agencies responsible for critical infrastructure protectionCybersecurity training providers looking for validated curricula and exercise platforms
Business applications

Who can put this to work

Energy & Utilities
enterprise
Target: Energy grid operators and utility companies managing smart grids or microgrids

If you are an energy utility managing smart microgrids or smart buildings and worry about cyberattacks on your operational technology — this project built and demonstrated cybersecurity tools specifically tested on a Smart Polygeneration Microgrid and a Smart Energy Building. Their visual analytics system spots threats in real time, and the common threat intelligence data model lets you share attack information with peers across 14 European countries.

Financial Services
enterprise
Target: Banks and financial institutions with large cybersecurity teams

If you are a financial institution dealing with increasingly sophisticated cyber threats and struggling to train your security teams fast enough — SPARTA developed a cyber training and exercise framework piloted across multiple consortium partners. The cybersecurity threat intelligence common data model gives your SOC team a standardized way to process and share threat data, built on the ENISA cyber-incidents data model used across Europe.

Manufacturing & Industry 4.0
mid-size
Target: Manufacturers with connected production lines and IoT infrastructure

If you are a manufacturer connecting your production lines to the internet and need to protect operational technology from cyber threats — SPARTA's visual analytics system for cybersecurity threat analysis provides real-time monitoring tailored to industrial environments. With 9 industry partners and 10 SMEs in the consortium, the tools were designed with practical industrial use in mind, not just academic theory.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to adopt these cybersecurity tools?

SPARTA was a EUR 16 million Research and Innovation Action, so the tools were developed with public funding. Licensing and pricing for individual tools like the visual analytics system or threat intelligence data model would need to be discussed directly with the consortium leads. Some outputs may be available as open-source or through partnership agreements.

Can these tools scale to protect a large enterprise network?

The tools were demonstrated on real infrastructure including a Smart Polygeneration Microgrid and a Smart Energy Building, which suggests readiness for operational environments. The consortium of 47 partners across 14 countries tested interoperability at scale. However, enterprise-wide deployment would likely require customization and integration work.

Who owns the intellectual property, and can we license these tools?

IP is distributed across 47 consortium partners including 9 industry actors and 18 research organizations. The coordinator is CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission). Licensing arrangements would need to be negotiated with the relevant IP holders for each specific tool or component.

How does the threat intelligence data model compare to existing standards?

Based on available project data, the cybersecurity threat intelligence common data model was built as a practical implementation of the ENISA-proposed cyber-incidents data model. This means it aligns with European institutional standards rather than competing with them, and is designed for cross-border threat information sharing.

Is the cyber training framework available for our security teams?

SPARTA piloted a cyber training and exercise framework across multiple consortium partners, including universities and professional training facilities. The training evaluation pilot collected recommendations from trainees through interviews and focus groups. Contact the consortium to explore access to the training infrastructure and curriculum.

What is the timeline from evaluation to deployment?

The project ran from February 2019 to June 2022 and is now closed. Tools reached demonstration stage during the project, with final demonstrations completed by project end. Moving from demonstrated prototype to full commercial deployment would require further engineering and integration, likely 12-18 months depending on your environment.

Are these tools compliant with European cybersecurity regulations?

SPARTA explicitly addressed cybersecurity certification as one of its core themes and built tools aligned with ENISA standards. The project involved public institutions and aligns with European cybersecurity policy directions. However, specific compliance certifications for individual tools should be verified with the consortium.

Consortium

Who built it

SPARTA assembled one of the larger cybersecurity consortia in Horizon 2020 with 47 partners spanning 14 European countries. The mix includes 16 universities providing deep research capability, 18 research organizations (including coordinator CEA, a major French national lab), and 9 industry partners ensuring practical relevance. With 10 SMEs representing 19% industry ratio, the project leaned more toward research than commercialization — typical for a Research and Innovation Action of this scale. The geographic spread across Western and Eastern Europe (from France and Germany to Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) gives the outputs cross-border credibility, especially important for cybersecurity tools that need to work across jurisdictions. A business looking to adopt these tools should engage CEA as the gateway to the broader consortium.

How to reach the team

CEA (Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives) in France coordinated this project. As a major national research organization, they can direct you to the right team for specific tools like the visual analytics system or the threat intelligence data model.

Order a report on this consortiumSee COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES profile →
Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to connect with the SPARTA cybersecurity team? SciTransfer can introduce you to the right consortium partner for your specific needs — whether it's the threat intelligence platform, the training framework, or the visual analytics system. We handle the matchmaking so you don't have to navigate a 47-partner consortium alone.

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