The introduction of Data Protection by Default and Design (DPbDD) brought in as part of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, has necessitated that businesses review how best to incorporate privacy into their processes in a transparent manner, so as to build trust and improve decisions around privacy best practice. To address this issue, this paper presents a 7-stage data lifecycle, supported by nine privacy goals that together, will help practitioners manage data holdings throughout data lifecycle. The resulting data lifecycle (7-DL) was created as part of the Ideal-Cities project, a Horizon-2020 Smart-city initiative, that seeks to facilitate data re-use and/or repurposed. We evaluate 7-DL through peer review and an exemplar worked example that applies the data lifecycle to a real-time life logging fire incident scenario, one of the Ideal-Cities use cases to demonstrate the applicability of the framework.

Technologies providing copyright-infringing IPTV content are commonly used as an illegal alternative to legal IPTV subscriptions and services, as they usually have lower monetary costs and can be more convenient for users who follow content from different sources. These infringing IPTV technologies may include websites, software, software add-ons, and physical set-top boxes. Due to the free or low cost of illegal IPTV technologies, illicit IPTV content providers will often resort to intrusive advertising, scams, and the distribution of malware to increase their revenue. We developed an automated solution for collecting and analysing malware from illegal IPTV technologies and used it to analyse a sample of illicit IPTV websites, application (app) stores, and software. Our results show that our IPTV Technologies Malware Analysis Framework (IITMAF) classified 32 of the 60 sample URLs tested as malicious compared to running the same test using publicly available online antivirus solutions, which only detected 23 of the 60 sample URLs as malicious. Moreover, the IITMAF also detected malicious URLs and files from 31 of the sample’s websites, one of which had reported ransomware behaviour.

Technologies providing copyright-infringing IPTV content are a commonly used, as an illegal alternative to legal IPTV subscriptions and services, as they usually have lower monetary costs, and can be more convenient for the users that follow content from different sources. These infringing IPTV technologies may include websites, software, software add-ons, and physical set-top boxes. Due to the free or low cost of illegal IPTV technologies, illicit IPTV content providers will often resort to intrusive advertising, scams, and the distribution of malware to increase their revenue. We developed an automated solution for collecting and analysing malware from illegal IPTV technologies and used it to analyse a sample of illicit IPTV websites, application (app) stores, and software. Our results show that our IPTV Technologies Malware Analysis Framework (IITMAF) classified 32 of the 60 sample URLs tested as malicious, compared to running the same test using publicly available online anti-virus solutions, which only detected 23 of the 60 sample URLs as malicious. Moreover, the IITMAF framework also detected malicious URLs and files from 31 of the sample’s websites, one of which had reported ransomware behaviour.

Effective Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) exchange is essential for strengthening cybersecurity resilience across critical sectors such as healthcare, energy, and maritime. While theoretical CTI governance models exist, their real-world implementation remains challenging due to issues with trust, compliance, interoperability, and real-time collaboration. This paper aims to address these challenges by proposing a practical knowledge transfer framework for the pilot phase of CTI Exchange governance implementation. Building on two prior research studies that developed a CTI exchange governance model specifically tailored for the DYNAMO platform, this paper focuses on putting that model into practice. By utilizing the insights and methodologies from previous work, the study presents a structured approach to applying, testing, and refining governance principles in real-world settings, ensuring effective operationalization of the model through the DYNAMO platform's capabilities. The DYNAMO project, an EU initiative, offers a comprehensive approach to cyber resilience and business continuity, providing organizations with tools and strategies for threat intelligence generation, analysis, and dissemination. The proposed framework includes strategies for piloting DYNAMO tools with pilot preparation, stakeholder engagement, sector-specific governance adaptations, and evaluation metrics. It also defines clear roles and responsibilities to support consistent application of governance mechanisms, with continuous refinement based on empirical feedback. The framework also emphasizes the importance of cross-sector collaboration, ensuring that various stakeholders, including governmental bodies, private organizations, and technical experts, are actively involved throughout the process. Tailored guidelines for the healthcare, energy, and maritime sectors address sector-specific regulatory and operational challenges. Although the pilot phase has not yet been executed, the guidelines presented here provide a robust roadmap for preparing, launching, and iteratively refining CTI exchange pilots. Ultimately, this work lays the foundation for scalable, secure, and compliant CTI-sharing governance that enhances collaboration and cyber resilience across critical infrastructure environments.

The growing complexity of cyber threats, especially within critical infrastructure sectors like healthcare, energy, and maritime, highlights the need for comprehensive frameworks to facilitate the exchange of Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). This paper presents a CTI Exchange Governance Model aimed at enhancing the CTI sharing process within the DYNAMO platform, a European Union initiative focused on improving resilience against cyber threats across various phases of the resilience cycle: Prepare, Prevent, Protect, Respond, Recover, and Learn & Adapt. The DYNAMO project provides a suite of tools and strategies to support organizations in critical sectors, enabling efficient threat detection, mitigation, and response while fostering collaboration and compliance with regulatory standards. Sector-specific scenarios have been developed to address unique vulnerabilities in areas like healthcare, energy, and maritime, ensuring practical and targeted solutions for improving cyber resilience. While DYNAMO’s integrated tools handle CTI generation and alerts, a standardized and cohesive framework is still needed to guide and streamline CTI sharing across sectors, addressing gaps in current practices that impact interoperability and timely response. This governance model is structured around five key pillars: Collaboration & Trust, Data Sensitivity & Standardization, Compliance & Regulatory Alignment, Real-Time Collaboration & Response, and Continuous Learning & Improvement. These pillars ensure a secure, standardized, and compliant approach to CTI exchange, particularly in sectors vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated attacks. The model is uniquely tailored to align with DYNAMO's mission, offering a sector-specific approach while integrating best practices from established cybersecurity frameworks. The model is operationalized through the DYNAMO platform, leveraging tools like the Early Warning System (EWS) for real-time CTI sharing and a Data Anonymization Tool to ensure privacy and regulatory compliance. As a result, a practical framework has been developed to tailor the model’s implementation across healthcare, energy, and maritime sectors, ensuring a scalable and adaptable approach to CTI sharing. Ultimately, the governance model enhances CTI exchange by addressing interoperability challenges and strengthens governance practices to support collaboration, improve incident response times, and foster continuous improvement.