The POLIPO Security Framework

Abstract

Systems of systems are coalitions of autonomous systems that collaborate to achieve a common goal. The systems in a system of systems often belong to different security domains, which are governed by different authorities employing heterogeneous protocols, vocabularies, data models and organizational structures. Furthermore, systems of systems are often dynamic, with systems joining and leaving the coalition at runtime. An example of system of systems is a fleet of ships from different NATO countries collaborating in a patrolling mission.Despite offering a high degree of operational flexibility, the systems of systems paradigm has a strong impact on systems interoperability and on the security requirements of the coalition members (hereafter called parties). In fact, during the operation of a system of systems parties are required to exchange information (e.g., their current location) with the other members of the coalition. This information, however, might be sensitive and should be accessed exclusively by authorized parties, which may vary depending on the context (e.g., the location of the requester, the criticality of a situation) and the content of the information. Therefore, along with the development of systems of systems comes the demand for a flexible security framework that faces the related security challenges.