Title: Complex system governance for critical cyber-physical systems

Authors: Polinpapilinho F. Katina; Charles B. Keating; Adrian V. Gheorghe; Marcelo Masera

Addresses: National Centers for System of Systems Engineering, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, 2101 Engineering Systems Building, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA ' National Centers for System of Systems Engineering, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, 2101 Engineering Systems Building, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA ' National Centers for System of Systems Engineering, Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering, Old Dominion University, 2101 Engineering Systems Building, Norfolk, VA 23508, USA ' Directorate for Energy, Transport and Climate, Institute for Energy and Transport, Joint Research Center, European Commission, Westerduinweg 3, NL-1755 LE, P.O. Box 2, NL-1755 ZG, Petten, the Netherlands

Abstract: In cyber-physical system (CPS), software components (i.e., computational elements) are tightly intertwined with physical entities to produce distinguishing behavioural modalities. CPS, as a field, is relatively new, emerging, and somewhat fragmented in development. There are multiple agencies, entities, and activities being undertaken to address a nexus of emerging issues including cyber-threats and attack in critical systems. However, the development of CPS, as a field, albeit with good intentions and efforts, appears to be largely 'self-organising'. In response, we suggest governance, as posited in complex system governance, as an organising construct for critical cyber-physical systems to provide more cohesion. complex system governance (CSG) is focused on design, execution, and evolution of 'metasystem' functions necessary to provide for communication, control, coordination, and integration (C3I) in CPS. First, we introduce the concept of critical CPS, emphasising current domination of self-organisation as the driving force in developing viable CPS. Second, a CSG model is introduced to suggest an alternative for more purposeful system design and evolution. The paper concludes implications for future research directions.

Keywords: critical infrastructure; cyber-physical systems; CPS; complex system governance; CSG; cybersecurity; management cybernetics; metasystem; systems thinking.

DOI: 10.1504/IJCIS.2017.088230

International Journal of Critical Infrastructures, 2017 Vol.13 No.2/3, pp.168 - 183

Received: 10 Nov 2016
Accepted: 05 Jan 2017
Published online: 30 Nov 2017 *

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