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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
PhD Project Template
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Use one form per project
Please complete & submit to international@nuigalway.ie as soon as possible, and by 27/11/2012
In your email, begin the subject line with [SWB] (be sure to use square brackets) to ensure that
your email is filed correctly. Emails will be automatically filed
PI name & contact details:
School:
Research Centre / group affiliation:
Dr. Michael Schukat
michael.schukat@nuigalway.ie
School of Engineering & Informatics
Research group / centre website:
Performance Engineering Laboratory Research Group
Discipline of IT
School of Engineering & Informatics
NUI Galway
pel.it.nuigalway.ie
PI website / link to CV:
http://www2.it.nuigalway.ie/mschukat/
Brief summary of PI research / research group / centre activity (2 or 3 lines max):
Dr. Michael Schukat is a College Lecturer at the Discipline of Information Technology at NUI Galway.
His research interests include computer networks, network security and embedded systems. Prior to
his appointment he has been working in various R&D positions in industry (see
ie.linkedin.com/in/michaelschukat for details).
Title & brief description of PhD project (suitable for publication on web):
Honeypots and Honeynets for SCADA and ICS
Honeypots and Honeynets are powerful tools to detect, deflect, or in some manner counteract
attempts at unauthorised use of information systems. They play an increasingly important role in
the area of cyber security. Honeypots come in different flavours (e.g. client-side versus server-side,
low-interaction versus high-interaction) and represent either single computer or entire network
infrastructures (honeypot versus honeynet). To-date they have been predominantly deployed in
internet-connected information systems.
With the rise of internet-connected supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and industrial
control systems (ICS) new security threats are emerging. Recent attacks (like Stuxnet in 2010) show
that there is a huge need for the detection and deflection of cyber attacks in this domain. Both
systems have different features and needs compared to traditional information systems
Therefore the goal of this project is to research attack vectors for SCADA and ICS and to define and
implement suitable honeypot/honeynet architectures.
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Unique selling points of PhD project in NUI Galway:
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The PI has a strong track record in the area of ICS and security. He is the principal
investigator for 2-year project that researches security frameworks for networked
embedded systems.
The PEL@NUIG research group is a very dynamic group with a wide range of skills. It is
associated with the larger and highly regarded PEL research group at UCD, led by Professors
Liam and John Murphy. As such, all PEL students have immediate access to a very wide
range of experts in the overall PEL group.
NUI Galway is recognised as a world class centre of research and learning. Galway is
recognised as a very vibrant and culturally rich city, with a very intimate atmosphere.
Name & contact details for project queries, if different from PI named above:
Please indicate the graduates of which disciplines that should apply:
Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science or Engineering
Ciência sem Fronteiras / Science Without Borders Priority Area:
Please indicate the specific programme priority area under which the proposed PhD project fits- choose only
one (tick box):
Engineering and other technological areas
Pure and Natural Sciences (e.g. mathematics, physics, chemistry)/Physical Sciences (Mathematics,
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Geosciences)
Health and Biomedical Sciences / Clinical, Pré-clinical and Health Sciences
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), Computing
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Aerospace
Pharmaceuticals
Sustainable Agricultural Production
Oil, Gas and Coal
Renewable Energy
Minerals, Minerals Technology
Biotechnology
Nanotechnology and New Materials
Technologies for Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Disasters
Bioprospecting and Biodiversity
Marine Sciences
Creative Industry
New technologies in constructive engineering
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Universidade Nacional da Irlanda em Galway -- Ciência sem Fronteiras
Please indicate which of the following applies to this project (referring to Science Without Borders
arrangements):
Suitable only as a Full PhD (Y/N): _ ____
Available to candidates seeking a Sandwich PhD arrangement (Y/N): _____
Suitable for either/Don’t know: _ ____