Crisis Management Days

Architectural analysis of the security implications of integrating emergent technologies in heterogeneous distributed information environments

Igor Znika

Jurica Đurić

Krunoslav Bilić

Keywords: Cybersecurity, distributed systems security, attack surface analysis, security architecture, IoT security, artificial intelligence security, risk assessment

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Abstract

In the modern digital environment, information systems distributed form the backbone of numerous organizational and societal processes. The emergence of technologies such as artificial intelligence, edge computing, quantum technologies, the Internet of Things, and advanced analytics significantly enhances system efficiency, scalability, and autonomy. However, their integration into heterogeneous distributed environments introduces new security challenges and potential vulnerabilities.

The heterogeneity of infrastructure, diverse communication paradigms, and the interplay of physical and virtual components increase architectural complexity, complicating the implementation of robust security mechanisms. Moreover, emergent technologies are often integrated without a comprehensive understanding of their security implications, leading to expanded attack surfaces and interoperability challenges.

This paper presents an architectural analysis of the security implications of integrating emergent technologies in heterogeneous distributed information environments, with a focus on identifying key risks, analyzing architectural models, and evaluating approaches for secure and sustainable implementation.