Results of the IAEA coordinated research project enhancing computer security for radiation detection systems

This work presents results of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Coordinated Research Project (CRP) on Enhancing Computer Security for Radiation Detection Systems. These systems include a wide range of fixed and mobile radiation detectors used in safety and security applications. The signals and data generated by radiation detection systems are transmitted to local or remote monitoring centers through various communication channels, enhancing the effectiveness of threat detection and enabling a timely response to alarm conditions. However, during the generation, processing, transmission and display of this information, data can be compromised. This CRP brought together 11 research institutes from 10 Member States to explore various topics, including threat modeling, cloud computing, malware propagation in large radiation detection networks, intrusion detection systems, defensive computer security architecture, wireless communication security, and simulation of integrated physical protection and radiation detection systems. The participating institutes created a reference architecture, designed models for synthetic radiation data and anomaly detection methods, performed vulnerability assessments of radiation detection systems, and developed prototypes for both virtual and hardware-in-the-loop testbeds. Their research also led to the creation of simulators, including a physical protection–radiation detector simulator that incorporates a 3D hospital model.