AI Shield for the Industry of the Future

Next-Generation Cybersecurity

Researchers from the St. Petersburg Federal Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPC RAS) have unveiled an innovative cybersecurity system for industrial enterprises — ForecaState, built on artificial intelligence technologies.

Over two years of development, the team created a solution capable of protecting critical infrastructure from modern cyber threats. The AI core rapidly identifies cyberthreats within computers and servers that control technological processes. Through machine learning algorithms, the system detects anomalies in real time, signaling potential unauthorized interference.

But the system goes beyond threat detection: it also analyzes equipment conditions and predicts potential failures, allowing for proactive incident prevention and dramatically faster responses to industrial emergencies.

Proven Performance in Real Conditions

ForecaState has successfully completed field tests at real-world facilities — including water treatment plants and electrical grids — demonstrating its accuracy and reliability.

“The goal was not only theoretical research but also the practical implementation of our findings. We are building an open library so that anyone can use and adapt our developments for their own needs.”

Dmitry Levshun

Senior Research Fellow at the Laboratory for Computer Security Problems, SPC RAS

This innovation is particularly timely amid rising numbers of targeted cyberattacks on industrial systems and heightened requirements for critical information infrastructure protection.

The new system continues the work first presented in 2024, when SPC RAS researchers announced a digital defense platform capable of modeling potential threat scenarios across IoT and industrial networks. That concept has now evolved into a comprehensive AI platform combining cybersecurity and predictive maintenance — a crucial step forward for the resilience of modern industry.

AI as the Foundation of Safe Industry 4.0

The St. Petersburg scientists’ innovation opens new opportunities for strengthening industrial cyber resilience and mitigating digitalization risks. For Russia’s IT and industrial sectors, ForecaState represents a significant step forward: as industries accelerate digital transformation and adopt the Industry 4.0 paradigm, protecting Operational Technology (OT) systems becomes a top priority.

Cyberattacks on critical infrastructure can cause widespread disruptions impacting millions of people — reliable protection directly affects national safety and everyday stability. Although initially designed for domestic use, ForecaState’s modular architecture and open-source framework make it adaptable to other markets.

Potential applications in Russia include the energy, metallurgy, transport, water management, and mining sectors, with the prospect of integration into the national cybersecurity strategy. Future upgrades could expand equipment coverage, enhance predictive analytics, and integrate with SIEM/EDR systems for OT environments.

ForecaState: Between Market Challenges and Global Opportunities

The system’s successful deployment will depend on several factors — regulatory compliance, product certification, the availability of a commercial release, and industrial readiness for implementation.

Competition from existing foreign analogs also presents a market challenge. However, global research — including studies on arXiv and other scientific platforms — underscores the growing relevance of AI and machine learning for industrial IoT and OT protection. ForecaState stands out not only for its technical depth but also for its openness: the St. Petersburg researchers built an open-source library to encourage further research and adaptation.

In the near future, more pilot implementations, commercial rollouts, and increasing market demand can be expected. ForecaState could become both Russia’s benchmark for industrial cybersecurity and a globally competitive export product for countries pursuing technological sovereignty.