SECASSURED: ASSIST Software Joins European Consortium on AI and Cybersecurity
ASSIST Software is a partner in SECASSURED, a new European research and innovation project funded under the Horizon Europe programme, which addresses the increasing security challenges posed by complex digital systems. The initiative…
ASSIST Software is a partner in SECASSURED, a new European research and innovation project funded under the Horizon Europe programme, which addresses the increasing security challenges posed by complex digital systems. The initiative brings together leading research organisations, industrial companies, and public stakeholders from across Europe to develop new approaches for securing modern software and hardware systems that rely heavily on artificial intelligence and third-party components.
Today’s software and hardware platforms are increasingly assembled from open-source libraries, commercial products, external services, and AI-based components. While this approach accelerates development and scalability, it also introduces security risks, particularly when individual components operate with limited transparency. SECASSURED focuses on improving how security is designed, tested, and maintained across such systems, supporting reliability, compliance, and trust throughout their lifecycle.
Limited Component Transparency Creates New Security Challenges
As digital platforms expand across sectors such as telecommunications, energy, healthcare, aerospace, and smart mobility, traditional security approaches are increasingly strained. Many critical systems rely on components that cannot be fully inspected or controlled, complicating vulnerability assessment and compliance.
“As digital systems become more complex and increasingly dependent on third-party and AI components, ensuring their security is becoming significantly more challenging, particularly in the context of generative AI,” said Phu Nguyen, Project Coordinator of SECASSURED on behalf of SINTEF. “SECASSURED addresses this by developing AI-based tools that support assurance-driven security engineering and help developers integrate external components securely and in line with evolving EU regulations.”
Using AI and Digital Twins to Test Security Safely
SECASSURED uses artificial intelligence and digital replicas of digital systems to test security in a safe and controlled way. Instead of experimenting directly on live systems, which can disrupt operations, key components are recreated in virtual environments where potential vulnerabilities can be examined without risk. This makes it possible to spot security and compliance problems earlier, as systems are built or updated, rather than after they are already in use. By checking security continuously as systems change, the project supports the development of digital platforms that businesses and public services can rely on over time, across connected devices, networks, and cloud services.
