Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Program Grant

The Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Program aims to enhance cybersecurity for vital infrastructure through innovative seed research grants. Led by CCI and in collaboration with DC Water, this initiative seeks proposals that use advanced AI models for safeguarding critical sectors like energy, healthcare, and water systems. With a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration, the program encourages research that translates into practical benefits for Virginia companies, ensuring the resilience of privately owned infrastructure amidst increasing cyber threats.

A CCI team led by CCI Associate Professor Feras Batarseh collaborated with DC Water to develop advanced AI models and data science to protect against cyber threats, predict water flows and levels, and optimize energy efficiency and environmental safety. The team won the national 2022 Intelligent Water Systems Challenge.
CCI seeks proposals for seed research grants that advance the state of the art of critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
Presidential Policy Directive 21 defines critical infrastructure sectors as:
ChemicalCommercial Facilities (e.g., NFL stadiums)CommunicationsCritical ManufacturingDamsDefense Industrial Base, including research universities doing Department of Defense (DoD) researchEmergency ServicesEnergyFinancial ServicesFood & AgricultureGovernment Services & Facilities, including local and state governmentHealthcare & Public HealthInformation TechnologyNuclear Reactors, Materials, & WasteTransportation SystemsWater & Wastewater Systems
Over 80 percent of the United States’ critical infrastructure is privately owned and operated. In rural areas, it is common for small cooperatives to provide critical infrastructure services such as electricity distribution. These enterprises rarely have the capacity to staff a security operation center 24x7, evaluate cybersecurity posture, evaluate cybersecurity products, and so on. At the other end of the spectrum, large municipalities such as Fairfax County may have the resources to staff a large cyber fusion center but are also the target of well-funded nation state actors and criminal gangs.
Topics for this call include but are not limited to advancing the state-of-the-art in:
AI-informed cybersecurity operations for small- and medium-sized critical infrastructure providers.Broad, generally applicable horizontal solutions that protect most critical infrastructure sectors.Tailored, vertical solutions that protect specific critical infrastructure segments because of the specialized nature of the sector or leverage or address unique characteristics of a sector, such as limited, intermittent connectivity, 30-year equipment lifetimes, legacy installed base, or public policies that inhibit the deployment of modern cybersecurity solutions.
Objectives of this call include:
To produce seminal contributions to critical infrastructure cybersecurity, targeting the expansion of this research through competitive grants from the federal government, private sector, philanthropic foundations, and other sources.To foster interdisciplinary collaboration to produce high-quality research with strong domain knowledge resulting in a high likelihood of future extramural funding.To produce research contributions that translate into benefits to Virginia companies.To explore opportunities for innovation (commercialization, entrepreneurship, etc.) in critical infrastructure cybersecurity.
Maximum Award Amount: $100,000 per proposal.
Award Conditions: Successful applicants are expected to participate fully in CCI activities.

Eligibility

Who Can Serve as Principal Investigator (PI): Researchers and faculty members at public institutions in CCI who are deemed eligible by their home institution to serve as a PI on an external grant are eligible to apply.There are no restrictions or limits.An eligible researcher can participate in one proposal. Other Requirements: Proposals:Proposers must indicate which additional funding opportunities from the federal government or industry (e.g., specific calls, agencies or companies that have expressed interest in the work, etc.) they will pursue to build on the research funded by this call. Proposals must identify alternate funding opportunities should the primary opportunity fai

Ineligibility

Proposals must involve multiple CCI institutions. CCI cannot award grants to private institutions. Thus, the proposal must include at least two public CCI institutions. Private institutions may participate but cannot be funded by this proposal.