Transitioning SSH European Research Infrastructures to Critical Infrastructure Through Resilience

European Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) Research Infrastructures (RIs) are advanced socio-technical ecosystems that play a pivotal role in understanding complex cultural and social phenomena and addressing critical societal challenges. As digital resources related to SSH and Cultural Heritage (CH) become increasingly available, RIs are becoming more relevant and are frequent targets for cyber-attacks and cyber-warfare. This paper describes the main steps in the transition process from Research Infrastructures to Critical Infrastructures (CIs), focusing on the SSH domain. It highlights their vulnerabilities, supports the adoption of enhanced cybersecurity measures, discusses emerging cyber-threats faced by SSH infrastructures, and proposes adaptive strategies to ensure their resilience. Furthermore, the paper emphasizes the importance of protecting SSH research infrastructures as critical components of our societal and cultural fabric and promotes the development of a framework to support this transition.