Cyber Security In The Wake of Fourth Industrial Revolution: Opportunities and Challenges

The fourth industrial revolution known as Industry 4.0 is a revolution many authors believe has come to stay. Industry 4.0 grows by integrating information technologies into operational technologies thus creating a thin line between physical, digital, and biological technologies. These disruptive and innovative technologies largely rely on high-speed internet connectivity, cloud computing, augmented reality, additive manufacturing, data science, and artificial intelligence. The emergence of these new technologies, tools, and ways of doing things has given rise to new opportunities and challenges. Even though industry 4.0 has led to easier ways of doing things through artificially intelligent systems, it has also led to the rapid proliferation in the automation of cyber-attacks. Understanding the current level of these sophisticated attack systems, their trends, technologies, and mitigation countermeasures has become of research interest. Hence, this Research topic aims to explore opportunities and cyber security challenges of industry 4.0 and ways to navigate them.

The goal of this Research topic is to elicit knowledge that investigates the opportunities brought about by the emerging industry 4.0 such as smart city, smart hospital, smart transport, digital health, and so on. In addition to this, this Research Topic will provide existing knowledge and information on the trend of cyber-attacks in these domains and the best practices to mitigate them. Furthermore, because Internet of Things (IoT) devices are one of the driving forces of automation in industry 4.0, focusing on safe and secure methods of deployment will be of interest.

Topics may include but are not limited to:
• Opportunities of Industry 4.0 and the attendant cyber security risks and countermeasures
• Existing knowledge on AI-based and bio-inspired attacks tools, software applications and their countermeasures
• Information on the trend of cyber-attacks in these domains and the requisite best practices to mitigate them
• Attacks targeting Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the countermeasure, and the secure methods of deployment
• Predict the future of the cyber security scenarios and proactive countermeasure
• Modern cyber situation awareness training in human capital development relevant in Industry 4.0

Keywords: Cyber Situation Awareness, Cyber Hygiene, Online Safe Practices, Artificial Intelligence-Based Attacks, Cyber Attacks, Bio-Inspired Attacks, Industry 4.0, Incidence Response and Management

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.