Technological advances over the past decades have rapidly driven the shift toward a digital society, fundamentally transforming our world. This offers many benefits to citizens, but it also brings growing risks. Cyberattacks now increasingly target not just individuals and companies, but also hospitals, government services, higher education institutions, and critical infrastructure. Attacks are increasingly being carried out by state attackers pursuing geopolitical interests. The emergence of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, and blockchain is creating numerous new opportunities, while also increasing the associated risks in the digital space.
The Cluster of Excellence CASA will significantly strengthen the resilience of the digital society by developing next generation security solutions that holistically protect large-scale (socio-)technical systems. Since 2019, it is hosted at Ruhr University Bochum with the title “Cyber Security in the Age of Large-Scale Adversaries”; researchers from the University of Duisburg-Essen, the Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy in Bochum, the Technical University of Berlin and the University of Bonn are also involved. The second funding phase of CASA with the title “Securing the Digital Society” starts in 2026.
“To address real threats in the digital space and beyond, CASA will deliver innovative solutions from cybersecurity research. In doing so, we aim to make a highly relevant contribution to protecting our society," says spokesperson Professor Eike Kiltz, who manages CASA together with the Hub Coordinators Professor Ghassan Karame, Professor Christof Paar and Professor Angela Sasse.
Under the umbrella of CASA, an international team of top researchers is pursuing a unique interdisciplinary approach, combining technological, societal and human perspectives on cybersecurity. Across Europe, the PI team at CASA is arguably the only one in Europe with the required interdisciplinary track record to conduct holistic cybersecurity research.
In recent years, new challenges in cybersecurity have emerged with artificial intelligence and quantum computers, which CASA is specifically addressing in its second funding period. Research areas include quantum technology and its interplay with security, methods to prevent AI-based voter polarization and misinformation, and cross-layer solutions to thwart ransomware attacks.
The transfer of research findings into real-world solutions remains a central goal – already a key success factor during the first funding phase. The cluster collaborates with a strong network of partners, including global tech companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon, as well as NGOs and startups from the Bochum innovation ecosystem and beyond.
Another major priority is supporting the next generation of researchers. In the new funding period, around 100 new positions for early-career researchers are expected to be created at the Cluster of Excellence. Through targeted career development initiatives and a strong commitment to equality of opportunity and diversity, the cluster has been attracting top international researchers for years. CASA will conduct transformative research with major real-world impact and leave a lasting legacy on the scientific community, serving as a blueprint for next-generation cybersecurity research.
CASA
