Critical Infrastructure Protection

Protecting U.S. Infrastructure From Persistent Threats

Computer, system, and security engineers at APL are creating game-changing capabilities that enable U.S. infrastructure to be robust in the face of complex and persistent threats. We develop novel methods to protect cyber-physical and industrial control systems in the national infrastructure and military, hardening them against malicious and naturally occurring activity. Our researchers also work to protect the national airspace, developing and evaluating systems ranging from high-altitude, internationally mandated collision avoidance systems to low-altitude traffic management and counter-drone solutions.

Expertise in Action

Featured Work

View of twilight from cockpit of a plane, with instrument panel in foreground (Credit: Bigstock)

ACAS X: Airborne Collision Avoidance for the 21st Century

ACAS X is a 21st century collision avoidance system that will help human pilots share the airspace with uncrewed vehicles.

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BAS/CS™: Behavioral Alerting Sets for Control Systems

APL developed an advanced cybersecurity solution to detect real threats while reducing false alarms.

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MOSAICS: Cyber Defense for Industrial Control Systems

APL is leading the development of the first-ever comprehensive, integrated, and automated solution for industrial control system cybersecurity.

Learn more about MOSAICS: Cyber Defense for Industrial Control Systems

Related Labs and Facilities

CYPRESS Laboratory

CYPRESS (Cyber-Physical Resilient Systems Solutions) Laboratory is a premier facility where our nation’s most critical industrial control systems are evaluated, tested, and reimagined to survive any type of attack or failure. CYPRESS features a collection of reconfigurable, high-fidelity testbeds spanning a diverse set of critical infrastructure sectors including wastewater treatment, transportation, and power systems.

Learn more about CYPRESS Laboratory

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Let’s Solve the Nation’s Challenges Together

APL meets critical national challenges through the innovative application of science and technology. Connect with us to learn more about our work.

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Standardizing Cyber Analytics to Secure Critical Infrastructure Oct 7, 2025

A Johns Hopkins APL team has developed a framework for standardizing alerts transmitted by cybersecurity systems defending critical infrastructure, dramatically improving the efficiency with which they respond to potential attacks.

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Representatives from more than 50 public and private sector organizations participate in the Vista Gladiator homeland defense wargame held at Johns Hopkins APL (Credit: Johns Hopkins APL/Craig Weiman)

Johns Hopkins APL Team Applies Expertise to Homeland Defense Wargame Apr 7, 2025

A team from APL played a central role in a recent Defense Department wargame that addressed the challenges of protecting logistics infrastructure against growing adversarial threats.

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Developing Cybersecurity Solutions for Industrial Infrastructures Apr 19, 2023

Johns Hopkins APL has developed a cost-effective cyber-physical security situational awareness capability for industrial control systems and tested it at a local water treatment plant. This solution combines network fingerprinting, host-based monitoring, digital twin technology, and advanced event correlation and alerting to provide an operator with a detailed understanding of their systems.

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The Future of Uncrewed Aerial Systems Depends on Public Trust Feb 22, 2023

While technological advances will play a central role in enabling commercial uncrewed aircraft systems, the successful implementation of these systems will depend more on public confidence than on any technical achievement.

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Creating a New Cybersecurity Paradigm for a Cloud-Based World Jan 10, 2023

Scientists, mathematicians and engineers at APL are building a new cybersecurity paradigm that’s suited to the realities of how computing and collaborating are done in the 21st century. Their work has applications in health care, weapons systems and space, as well as in protecting critical infrastructure and industry generally.

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Johns Hopkins APL Researchers Earn 2022 R&D 100 Awards Aug 26, 2022

APL researchers have captured two 2022 R&D 100 Awards for their work on a comprehensive and automated cyber defense capability, known as More Situational Awareness for Industrial Control Systems (MOSAICS), and the Airborne Collision Avoidance System for Small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (ACAS sXu).

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Industrial cybersecurity (Credit: Bigstock)

With MOSAICS, Johns Hopkins APL Brings the Future of Industrial Cybersecurity into Focus Apr 5, 2022

APL, in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory, is leading the development of the first-ever comprehensive, integrated and automated solution for industrial control system (ICS) cybersecurity.

Learn more about With MOSAICS, Johns Hopkins APL Brings the Future of Industrial Cybersecurity into Focus