By Scout Nelson
North Dakota State University researchers are creating a new way to keep agricultural data safe from cyberattacks. Their project, called Quixote, builds a secure system that protects information collected from farm sensors, drones, and smart equipment.
Modern farming relies on data to guide planting, irrigation, and harvest decisions. Field sensors report soil moisture, temperature, and wind speed, while drones and intelligent equipment send detailed crop updates. If this data is changed or stolen, entire harvests can be at risk.
The Quixote project is part of NDSU’s Food, Energy and Water Security initiative. It develops a secure “pipeline” to move data from the field to the cloud without being corrupted. Researchers Greg Wettstein and Nick Dusek lead the effort, supported by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station.
Quixote works in two main ways. First, it gives software developers tools to create exact mathematical models of how their programs should behave. These models serve as formal blueprints that confirm the software is correct. Second, it adds a new security sub-system to the Linux operating system to enforce those blueprints when the software runs.
Initial testing focuses on data from sensors using LoRaWAN wireless technology. The goal is to guarantee that data collected in the field arrives at NDSU servers unchanged. This approach is especially important as farms add more internet-connected devices without strong security checks.
Researchers plan to deploy several Quixote-enabled gateways across North Dakota experiment stations. If successful, this model could guide other states and industries in securing smart networks, including smart cities, healthcare, and industrial control systems.
“Modern agriculture runs on data; securing it is as essential as seed and soil,” says Frank Casey of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. Quixote aims to ensure farmers can trust their information and protect crops, energy, and water resources for the future.
Photo Credit: north-dakota-state-university
Categories: North Dakota, Equipment & Machinery, Farm Safety