Distributed agent-based architecture for management of crisis situations using trusted code execution

Abstract

This article proposes a distributed architecture designed for management of crisis situations were multiple actors are involved from various organizations with different competences and communicating over IP-based networks including wireless devices. In such settings requirements exist for secure communication and trusted collection of data from various sources. The role of agents in the proposed architecture is primarily coordinated collection of information. In respect to requirements the overall agent infrastructure must be a secure, robust and fail resistant system. Required level of trust for agents is based on a special hardware module which provides trusted computing functionality. In the article we describe such architecture in terms of detailed requirements, design and decomposition to subsystems. We also provide a sample scenario use case inspired by concrete crisis situation. The architecture herein described is being used in scope of an EU integrated project called Secricom therefore we briefly describe the integration points with other systems involved in the project. We conclude with current state of the architecture implementation and with further plans concerning the development of the described architecture.