A new European research and innovation project, SHIELD‑6G (Scalable, Hybrid, and Intelligent End-to-End Defense for 6G Networks), was launched in June 2026 to develop advanced cybersecurity technologies for future 6G networks.
Coordinated by University College Dublin, SHIELD‑6G brings together 19 partners from 10 European countries, including universities, research centres, telecommunications operators, global technology companies, and innovative SMEs. The consortium represents Ireland, Spain, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Latvia, Estonia, and Turkey.
As Europe prepares for the transition from 5G to 6G, cybersecurity will become a defining requirement for trusted digital infrastructure. Future 6G networks are expected to support highly sensitive and mission-critical applications, including connected healthcare, autonomous industrial operations, smart manufacturing, maritime connectivity, and resilient public and private communications.
SHIELD‑6G will address these challenges by developing a 6G-native Cyber Threat Intelligence platform designed to detect, analyse, and respond to cyber threats in real time. The SHIELD‑6G platform is expected to support high-performance detection of both known and unknown threats, including zero-day attacks, while reducing incident response time through automation.
“6G networks will form the foundation of Europe’s next generation of digital services, but their success will depend on trust, resilience, and security by design,” said Madhusanka Liyanage, Associate Professor/Ad Astra Fellow and Director of Graduate Research at the School of Computer Science, University College Dublin, Ireland. “SHIELD‑6G brings together a strong European consortium to develop intelligent cybersecurity capabilities that can protect critical services and support Europe’s digital sovereignty.”
The project will focus on several key innovation areas, including AI-based threat detection and response, federated learning for privacy-preserving data processing, digital twin-based security testing, and explainable AI to improve transparency and accountability. The project’s solutions will be validated across three strategic use case domains:
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healthcare, where secure and low-latency digital applications are essential;
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smart manufacturing, where autonomous robot operations require robust protection; and
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maritime connectivity, where cyber-resilient ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications are increasingly important.
The project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe programme through the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU). SHIELD‑6G is part of a wider SNS JU investment in 20 new 6G projects aimed at strengthening Europe’s digital leadership, technological sovereignty, and next-generation connectivity ecosystem.
Over its planned 36-month duration, SHIELD‑6G is expected to deliver automated and autonomous network security capabilities, real-time threat detection and mitigation mechanisms, and compliance and auditing frameworks aligned with European regulation. The project will also contribute to 6G standardisation efforts and to the broader European ambition of building secure, resilient, and sovereign digital infrastructure for the coming decade.
The SHIELD‑6G consortium includes: University College Dublin, Universidad de Murcia, Ericsson Araştırma Geliştirme ve Bilişim Hizmetleri A.Ş., Oy L M Ericsson Ab, WINGS ICT Solutions S.A., Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy, Nextworks SRL, Nederlandse Organisatie voor Toegepast Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNO, Centre Tecnològic de Telecomunicacions de Catalunya, MBP Network Technology Ltd, Telefonica Innovacion Digital S.L., Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, Latvijas Mobilais Telefons SIA, Montimage, Viavi Solutions Ireland Limited, Thales SA, Thales SIX GTS France, Cumucore Oy, and Loutus AI.
