Complex system governance for critical cyber-physical systems

In cyber-physical system (CPS), software components (i.e., computational elements) are tightly intertwined with physical entities to produce distinguishing behavioural modalities. CPS, as a field, is relatively new, emerging, and somewhat fragmented in development. There are multiple agencies, entities, and activities being undertaken to address a nexus of emerging issues including cyber-threats and attack in critical systems. However, the development of CPS, as a field, albeit with good intentions and efforts, appears to be largely ‘self-organising’. In response, we suggest governance, as posited in complex system governance, as an organising construct for critical cyber-physical systems to provide more cohesion. complex system governance (CSG) is focused on design, execution, and evolution of ‘metasystem’ functions necessary to provide for communication, control, coordination, and integration (C3I) in CPS. First, we introduce the concept of critical CPS, emphasising current domination of self-organisation as the driving force in developing viable CPS. Second, a CSG model is introduced to suggest an alternative for more purposeful system design and evolution. The paper concludes implications for future research directions. Copyright © 2017 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.