PhD Candidate in Modelling and Executing Cascading Effects within a Cyber Range

This is NTNU NTNU is a broad-based university with a technical-scientific profile and a focus in professional education. The university is located in three cities with headquarters in Trondheim. At NTNU, 9,000 employees and 43,000 students work to create knowledge for a better world. You will find more information about working at NTNU and the application process here. Video: https://youtu.be/Xt-yHCN5QS0?si=VvgEPS9s6a7_Cw7z About the position We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to investigate cascading cyber effects, cyber resilience, and advanced cyber range modelling. The research combines simulation, software development, and experimental validation in the Norwegian Cyber Range. Are you motivated to take a step towards a doctorate and open up exciting career opportunities? As a PhD research fellow with us, you will work to achieve your doctorate, and at the same time gain valuable experience that qualifies you for a range of leading positions in business, administration, higher education and research. Your immediate manager will be the Head of Discipline. About the project This PhD project focuses on advancing the modelling, simulation, and execution of complex cybersecurity scenarios within the Norwegian Cyber Range (NCR). The research aims to investigate how cascading cyber effects can be represented and executed across interconnected digital environments, including both IT and Operational Technology (OT) systems. Building on the Norwegian Cyber Range's existing capabilities, the project will explore new methods for representing system dependencies, designing realistic cyber scenarios, and evaluating cyber resilience through automated and scalable cyber range exercises. The project provides flexibility for the successful candidate to shape the research direction within the broader topic Research Objectives and Contributions RO1: Develop methods for modelling dependencies and cascading cyber effects in interconnected systems. The research will investigate approaches for representing how cyber incidents propagate across complex infrastructures and how these dependencies influence system resilience. RO2: Explore techniques for describing and executing realistic cascading cyber scenarios within a cyber range environment. This includes extending or adapting existing scenario modelling approaches to support increasingly complex cybersecurity exercises. RO3: Investigate simulation and predictive modelling approaches for analysing cascading cyber threats and evaluating the resilience of interconnected systems under different attack conditions. RO4: Validate the proposed modelling and execution framework through implementation and experimentation in the Norwegian Cyber Range, assessing its applicability for cybersecurity training, research, and resilience evaluation. Expected Contributions The project is expected to contribute to the advancement of cyber range technologies and cyber resilience research through: • Novel methods for modelling cascading cyber effects in interconnected systems. • Enhanced capabilities for designing and executing complex cybersecurity scenarios in cyber ranges. • New approaches for analysing and evaluating cyber resilience through simulation and experimentation. • Open research outputs, including software components, models, datasets, or methodologies that support future cyber range research and education. Relevant Resourses Norwegian Cyber Range Modeling and executing cyber security exercise scenarios in cyber ranges Cyber ranges and security testbeds Evaluating ASCERT: generative AI for cyber-range scenario generation A Design Science Approach to Bridging Operational Cyber Detection and Strategic Crisis Management Duties of the position - Complete doctoral education and obtain a doctorate - Carry out research of good quality within the framework described above - Academic publications and popular science dissemination - Participate in the research group eHealth and System Security Group HS2G - Participate in international activities such as conferences - Teaching responsibilities, as well as other career-enhancing work Required selection criteria - You must meet the requirements for admission to the faculty's Doctoral Programme (link), see Section 6-1 of the PhD regulations for more information. - You must have a relevant Master's degree in Computer Science, Cyber Security, or an equivalent field. Your degree must include a major independent project (minimum 30 ECTS) equivalent to a master’s thesis - You must have a strong and relevant academic background from your previous studies and have an average grade from your Master's degree study, or equivalent education, which is equal to B or better compared to NTNU's grading scale . If you do not have letter grades from previous studies, you must have an equally good academic foundation. If you have a weaker academic background, you may be considered if you can document that you are exceptionally suited for a PhD education, for example through relevant work experience and/or peer-reviewed academic works. - Excellent oral and written presentation skills in English (C1-C2 level) The appointment is to be made in accordance with NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions for general criteria for the position. Preferred selection criteria - Strong motivation for pursuing doctoral research in cybersecurity - Experience in cybersecurity, cyber ranges, Capture-the-Flag (CTF), or related practical security activities - Experience with programming, system development, or data-driven approaches in cybersecurity is an advantage. - Relevant cybersecurity certifications (e.g., OSCP, OSCE, or SANS) are considered a plus - Norwegian/Scandinavian language (please state your level) Personal characteristics To complete a doctoral degree (PhD), it is important that you are able to: - work independently and take initiative in research - collaborate effectively in an interdisci