National CIP Workshop

KEMEA, being the Greek National Contact Point of the European Program on Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP), in cooperation with the ARGOS project and the CIPRE-NET project represented by the Joint Research Center Ispra of the European Commission, jointly organized a two-day workshop on "Protection of Critical Infrastructures".

The training program was held on KEMEA premises on the 14 & 15 December, 2015 and was attended by over 160 specialist representatives on critical infrastructures. In the framework of presenting the European acquis, expert speakers from KEMEA and the Joint Research Center presented innovative methods and solutions for the protection of critical facilities against man-made and natural risks.

ARGOS Final Trial

The ARGOS FP7 Project successfully organized the 2nd Field Trial in Athens, Greece deploying the CI protection solution under development at the premises of the NCSR Demokritos facility. The system testing and demonstration in a properly designed field trial took place on the 3^rd of December 2015. The trial was attended by several End Users originating from Greece as well by critical infrastructure protection operators and security experts invited from different EU countries.  The scenarios used during the trial dealt with several different types of attacks against a gas plant or installations. For this purpose a mesh network of different types of sensors including vibration and video sensors, as well as Wake-up Cameras were deployed in a buffer zone outside the perimeter of the facility in order to extend the protection of the critical infrastructure (distribution station, gas pipeline) beyond its perimeter from potential intruders.

Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) imaging

The Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) range runs between from 1 to 2.5 µm [1] (Cf. Figure 1).

ARGOS system integration tests in NCSRD facilities, Athens (Gr)

Following the successful remote tests of integration of the ARGOS system, the partners involved in the second field trial of the ARGOS project met in the facilities of NCSR Democritos, to work locally for system integration and test purposes. The performance of all types of sensors that will be deployed during the final trial of the system was tested. Furthermore network and communication tests of alternative solutions between ARGOS Gateway and the internet were performed and integration of data to the rule based engine the data fusion component, and the DSS interface were tested.

ARGOS Workshop in the 11th Prague Security Conference

The Charles University in Prague (CUNI) within the framework of the 11th Prague Security Conference successfully organized the ARGOS project presentation workshop for end-users and experts.

The workshop took place in the 6^th of November 2015, at the Hotel International in Prague – Czech Republic and was attended by approximately 25 participants representing several local end-users and experts, within the scope of the ARGOS.

ARGOS TransGaz Trial Video

The ARGOS FP7 Project successfully organized the 1st Field Trial in Bucharest, Romania deploying the CI protection solution under development at the premises of the Romanian company TransGaz. The system testing and demonstration in a properly designed field trial took place between 22nd and 25th of June 2015. The trial was attended by several End Users originating from Romania as well by critical infrastructure protection operators and security experts invited from different EU countries.  The scenarios used during the trial dealt with several different types of attacks against a gas plant or installations, in this case the TransGaz facility in the outskirt of Bucharest. For this purpose a mesh network of different types of sensors including vibration and video sensors, as well as Wake-up Cameras were deployed in a buffer zone outside the perimeter of the facility in order to extend the protection of the critical infrastructure (distribution station, gas pipeline) beyond its perimeter from potential intruders.

You may watch the Trial Video following this link

ARGOS presentation in EUCONCIP Conference in Rome

The ARGOS project was invited and presented by KEMEA the 20th of October 2015 in context of the EUCONCIP Conference in Rome to a focused group of European projects dealing with various aspects of security. EUCONCIP (European Cooperation Network on Critical Infrastructure Protection) is an ECDG Home Affair funded project, under the Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security-related Risks program (CIPS).

ARGOS project has been introduced to Energy Infrastructure Security Network

The dissemination activities within the ARGOS project are being carried out with a high intensity as the project is getting closer to its final point. The Charles University in Prague is also participating in dissemination of the project outcomes, partly through its own conferences and workshops, partly through guest presentations at externaly organized events. The latter was the case on October 8-9, 2015, when Libor Stejskal from Center for Security Policy, Charles University in Prague, took advantage of being invited to the annual meeting of the Energy Infrastructure Security Network (EISN), which was to take place in Budapest, Hungary.

Data Mining by Clustering

Clustering is one of the most used techniques in the Data Mining field. Its objective, in ARGOS project, is to help analyzing existing data by subdividing these data into a small number of clusters or (groups) where the events inside any specific cluster are very similar to each other and very dissimilar to the events of the other clusters.

As a result of the clustering process, several important information will be obtained among which two major ones can be quoted:

2nd ARGOS Field Trial Athens

(click on the Invitation for full size)

ARGOS Publication

Wake-up Mode Camera System to Detect Unauthorized Persons and Vehicles. 

Traditional detection systems are usually based on one master camera which detects and processes information and gives alarm if unauthorized object are detected.

They can be power consuming due to heavy image processing algorithms and must therefore be installed near stationary power sources

ƒThe target of the implementation is to provide detection system to wide areas and facilities i.e. gas, oil pipe lines and large factories where monitoring is needed on wide area and stationary power source is not available.

Read more by clicking here!

ARGOS Athens Integration Meeting

The ARGOS FP7 Project Athens Integration meeting was successfully organized on the 20^th of July 2015 NCSRD “Demokritos” premises, where the second Field Trial of the project will take place in December 2015.  

The project partners made a second survey of the test site and defined the details concerning the positioning of the ARGOS equipment according to the scenario of the project’s second field trial. The demonstration plan was presented to the security personnel of the NCSRD facility and arrangements were made regarding the use of the site during the demo. Moreover, several technical aspects of the proper usage of the equipment of ARGOS during the trial were discussed in detail on site, in order to assure to the utmost degree, a successful demonstration.

ARGOS TransGaz Trial

The ARGOS FP7 Project successfully organized the 1^st Field Trial in Bucharest, Romania deploying the CI protection solution under development at the premises of the Romanian company TransGaz. The system testing and demonstration in a properly designed field trial took place between 22^nd and 25^th of June 2015. The trial was attended by several End Users originating from Romania as well by critical infrastructure protection operators and security experts invited from different EU countries.  The scenarios used during the trial dealt with several different types of attacks against a gas plant or installations, in this case the TransGaz facility in the outskirt of Bucharest. For this purpose a mesh network of different types of sensors including vibration and video sensors, as well as Wake-up Cameras were deployed in a buffer zone outside the perimeter of the facility in order to extend the protection of the critical infrastructure (distribution station, gas pipeline) beyond its perimeter from potential intruders.  

ARGOS Project Newsletter #1

The First ARGOS Newsletter has been released. Topics included among others:

• Forthcoming 1st Field Trial
• Clustering with FP7 Projects
• ARGOS Technologies
• Analyses & Reviews

Read more by clicking here!

Why complex ICT systems should be standardised?

We may not be aware of them, but we use standards every day, in all aspects of our daily lives – in communications, media, healthcare, food, transport, construction, furniture, energy. Standards provide:

ARGOS visual analytics extraction

The processed outputs from many sensors need to be combined in an early warning system for critical infrastructure. Video-based sensors are usually expensive to process but can bring unique information in the system. For example, a car passing by can be identified by both audio and video sensors, but a car arriving at the scene, switching off and remaining there can only be observed by video.

Wake-Up Mode Camera System to Detect Unauthorized Persons and Vehicles

Wake-up mode camera (WUC) system, developed by the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, is an innovative form of detecting persons and vehicles. The idea of the camera system is to detect unauthorized objects from camera scenery and send information to background control system.

Traditional detection systems are usually based on one master camera which detects, processes information and gives alarm if unauthorized object are detected. These systems can be power consuming due to heavy image processing algorithms and must therefore be installed near stationary power sources. When monitoring large and wide areas i.e. oil and gas pipe lines, power plants, border lines etc. these systems needs its own infrastructure with cabling and can therefore be too expensive in large scale. However the benefit of these systems is that with one unit it is possible to perform the whole decision chain from detection, object recognition to alarm.

ARGOS Vibration Sensors

By using a new state–of–the art technology Mira Telecom has developed a world-class vibration sensor, highly accurate and ultra-wide bandwidth capable. This sensor perceives the ground vibrations and sends the signal back to a data processing unit over an optical fiber. The data processing unit is able to identify the vibration pattern in order to classify it and send the information back to the system. The deployment of this type of sensors beyond the security perimeter of the CI provide early warning of any possible intrusion and helps to enhance the security and prevent threats.

Read more 

ARGOS Clustering with EDEN Project

The “End-User Driven demo for CBRNe (EDEN)” FP7 Project workshop was organized in February 25-26th, 2015 in the Main School of Fire Service (SGSP) in Warsaw, Poland. This was a Virtual Facility (VF) event in a series of four workshops led by the SGSP in context of EDEN. Each VF is a virtual simulation of respective emergency radiation incident scenarios inside and outside of a nuclear plant which affect public safety at different levels of crisis management in an imaginary country.

The future of surveillance involves anticipate threats

This is one of the conclusions that it was reach during the ARGOS project workshop that took place last 10th March in Madrid. This conference was hold in everis premises and aimed to present the progress made after passing the midway of the project.

It was attended by representatives of different Critical Infrastructure Operators, the Ministry of Defence, law enforcers and technological organizations. It was also attended by the CNPIC (National Centre for Critical Infrastructures Protection in Spain) who gave a brief talk on the implementation of the EPCIP (European programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection) in Spain and the progress made. During the CNPIC intervention it was stated by some of the participants that cooperation between European countries in order to improve the protection of European Critical Infrastructures (ECI) and the creation of a common ground for communication between stakeholders from different countries is the next step that has to be taken. 

ARGOS Clustering with PROACTIVE Project

The PRedictive reasOning and multi-source fusion empowering AntiCipation of attacks and Terrorist actions In Urban EnVironmEnts (PROACTIVE) FP7 Project workshop themed “Models and architectures for emergency management” was organized in February 19th and 20th, 2015 by Consorzio Milano Ricerche and University of Milano Bicocca, Italy in Milan.

ARGOS at III Conference on Critical Infrastructure Protection

Everis Aerospace and Defense will present the European project ARGOS next 26^th February 2015, at the III Conference on Critical Infrastructure Protection organized by the Spanish National Center for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CNPIC) along with the Borredá foundation.

The security of critical infrastructure is rapidly developing in Spain. Since the adoption of the Law for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure in 2011 until the adoption of the first sector plans last year, these services have undergone major changes in its security. During the day they will be announced the latest developments, which will occur throughout 2015 and future. The event will be attended by representatives of agencies such as the Spanish Home Office, the CNPIC or the Spanish Institute for Cyber Security (Incibe) plus security officials of various operators. They will address topics such as the current state of the system Critical Infrastructure Protection, sector strategic plans of Transport and Water (which will be released in the coming months) or cyber incident management in these environments.

Link: http://www.seguritecnia.es/eventos/agenda-del-sector/iii-jornada-de-proteccion-de-infraestructuras-criticas

ARGOS Annual Review Meeting

27 – 29 January 2015, Tampere, Finland

The ARGOS FP7 Project 1st year Review meeting successfully took place between the 27th and 29th of January 2015 at the city of Tampere in Finland. The consortium presented the progress of the project and the relative results achieved during the first year.

ARGOS website updates

The Consortium wishes you a Creative and Secure 2015! The ARGOS website enters dynamically and updated in the new year, providing project stakeholders and the broad audiences with new information.

Visit the ARGOS website and reach the new sections like "Downloads" where you may choose to see the project's 'Public Deliverables' or the available 'Dissemination Material'. Moreover, you may click on the "News/Events" section and be informed about the latest 'News', scheduled 'Calendar' activities, and the 'Events' the ARGOS project representatives are going to aprticipate and disseminate ARGOS project achievements. Last but not least, the updated "Video Gallery", which includes the ARGOS 3D Animation.

Click on the http://www.argos-project.eu

Stay informed, be Secure!