CASTOR

Continuum of Trust - Increased Path Agility and Trustworthy Device and Service Provisioning

CASTOR, funded by the European Commission (Grant Agreement No. 101167904), will run for three years, from October 2024 to September 2027, aiming to revolutionize the realm of trustworthy communication across computing environments. CASTOR’s mission is to develop and implement a robust framework for a “Continuum of Trust” that enhances path agility and ensures trustworthy provisioning of devices and services across distributed networks.

The CASTOR project is at the forefront of innovation in cybersecurity and trust management. Addressing the complexities of the modern “Compute Continuum” (CC) — a paradigm where computing seamlessly spans from cloud infrastructures to the network edge and user devices — CASTOR envisions a future where trust is not only assured but dynamically managed across this continuum.

The Vision of CASTOR

CASTOR introduces a Continuum of Trust, emphasizing zero-trust principles and robust security for the interconnected world. It seeks to overcome the limitations of current network and device trust models by enabling end-to-end secure service provisioning through groundbreaking advancements in trust quantification, dynamic policy enforcement, and trusted path routing.

Key Innovations:

  1. Dynamic Trust Management: CASTOR pioneers a Trust Management Framework that assesses trust levels dynamically, integrating hardware (HW) and software (SW) elements across the CC. By leveraging advanced methods like Subjective Logic, it provides real-time trust evaluations that adapt to the fluid and distributed nature of modern networks.
  2. Trusted Path Routing: Existing protocols for network routing lack comprehensive trust mechanisms. CASTOR addresses this by introducing trust-aware path optimization, enabling traffic to flow through routes meeting stringent security and reliability criteria. This ensures not only confidentiality but also resilience against attacks like route hijacking.
  3. Zero-Trust Service Orchestration: CASTOR extends zero-trust principles with dynamic security lifecycle management. This includes continuous attestation and trust assessment of devices, ensuring that every interaction within the continuum is secured from chip to cloud.
  4. Advanced Attestation Mechanisms: Through composable attestation services, CASTOR strengthens the trustworthiness of devices and network nodes. These services support runtime verification of device integrity and operational correctness, aligning with global standards for secure computing.
  5. Open Source for Trust: CASTOR is developing an open-source software stack to ensure broad accessibility and interoperability, fostering adoption across diverse industries and contributing to Europe’s strategic goals for digital sovereignty.

Real-World Applications:

CASTOR’s technologies will be validated through real-world implementations in domains such as smart cities, critical infrastructure, and next-generation IoT systems. By enabling dynamic trust assessment and secure dataflows, CASTOR provides the foundation for secure, efficient, and resilient digital ecosystems.

Why CASTOR Matters:

Today’s digital landscape is defined by interconnected ecosystems that span multiple domains, from edge devices in smart homes to centralized cloud infrastructure. This complexity comes with significant challenges: ensuring end-to-end trust, managing security dynamically, and enabling seamless communication across domains. Existing solutions fall short of addressing these needs comprehensively. This is where CASTOR stands out.

  1. A Unified Approach to Trust: CASTOR introduces the first comprehensive framework for trust quantification and dynamic management in the Compute Continuum. Unlike isolated or static security measures, it integrates trust into every layer, making it possible to adapt to changes in real-time—whether due to evolving threats or shifting resource conditions.
  2. Addressing Critical Gaps: CASTOR directly tackles the shortcomings of current networking protocols and security frameworks. By enabling trust-aware routing and continuous device attestation, it ensures that data and services are protected at every step of their journey, even across domains with varying security postures.
  3. Scalable and Future-Ready: By leveraging cutting-edge techniques like Subjective Logic for trust evaluation and Quantum Annealing for path optimization, CASTOR’s solutions are designed to scale with the growing demands of hyper-connected systems. Its approach prepares networks for challenges not only of today but also of tomorrow’s post-quantum era.
  4. Real-World Impact: CASTOR isn’t just theoretical. With pilot implementations in diverse use cases like smart cities and critical infrastructure, it is set to deliver tangible benefits: reduced vulnerability to attacks, optimized network performance, and stronger compliance with global cybersecurity standards.