IIT-M creates algorithm to guard networks like air traffic control from attacks

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Madras have developed an algorithm to mitigate disruptions to critical networks like air traffic control and power distribution during a terror attack. The research – peer-reviewed and published in international journal ‘Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications’. Experts have noted that with IoT, or Internet of Things – devices that exchange data with other devices over the internet – becoming popular, it is critical to protect networks vital to national security.

“The terror attacks of September 11, 2001… targeting a single country resulted in the entire airline industry coming to a standstill. Such threats are a reminder that in today’s highly interconnected world, there is high risk of one adverse event leading to the disruption of the entire network.”

“Air and road traffic, power distribution and even social media platforms are all examples of highly connected networks and are, therefore, highly vulnerable to targeted attacks,” Karthik Raman, a core member of IIT-M’s Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, said.