The deployment of 5G and the widespread use of IoT devices introduce new and unpredictable cybersecurity threats. With the growing complexity and interconnectivity of ICT networks, even a single compromised device, such as an IoT camera, can jeopardise an entire system. As firms increasingly rely on shared cloud infrastructures and virtualised environments, the risks multiply, potentially affecting public health, energy, financial systems, and the environment. Current approaches lack the capacity to assess these dynamically evolving threats. The key challenge lies in protecting diverse network components, including potentially insecure but necessary technologies, within ever-changing, high-speed, and data-intensive communication systems.

SANCUS developed a pioneering software framework for cybersecurity that formalised digital security and privacy as quantifiable, optimisable network attributes, and balancing critical factors dynamically. The architecture integrated six advanced engines, including automated firmware and software validation, IoT component modelling, and AI-driven game techniques for real-time risk analysis and defence optimisation. Evaluations were conducted by developing a new contemporary network testbed built on latest 5G and cloud-native system setting, and running pilot use cases across firmware, virtualisation, and management layers. SANCUS delivered an integrated software suite designed to enhance resilience and trust in next-generation digital ecosystems.