SECASSURED Project Kicks Off: Building AI-Driven Security Assurance from Development to Operations
At ASSIST Software, strengthening our expertise in cybersecurity has been a strategic priority. We are committed to advancing secure-by-design engineering practices, enhancing the continuous integration and delivery of security services, and developing scalable solutions that enable organizations to build and operate trustworthy digital systems. With this ambition in mind, we are proud to embark on a new Horizon Europe initiative that aligns perfectly with our long-term vision.
On 4 December 2025, under the coordination of SINTEF, the consortium officially launched SECASSURED — Security Assurance-driven AI-based Security Services for Trustworthy Security Engineering, from Left to Right. This project aims to redefine how security is embedded across the entire software lifecycle. While the in-person kick-off will take place in Athens on 21–22 January 2026, this initial online meeting enabled partners to get to know one another better and synchronize early activities.
A Consortium of Top-Tier European Innovators
ASSIST Software is proud to work alongside some of Europe’s most renowned organisations in cybersecurity, digital engineering, and advanced research. The SECASSURED consortium includes leading institutions such as SINTEF AS (Norway), the project coordinator and one of Europe’s foremost independent research institutes; Aalto University (Finland) and NTNU (Norway), both recognised globally for excellence in engineering and computer science; Fraunhofer FOKUS (Germany), a major force in secure and interoperable digital systems; and CERTH (Greece), a highly respected research centre with strong expertise in data and AI. The project is further strengthened by the industrial leadership of Orange Romania, Public Power Corporation SA (Greece), and a group of innovative SMEs.
ASSIST : Driving Integration and Advancing Security Engineering
ASSIST’s participation in this project aligns strongly with our strategic goals:
· Enhancing technical expertise in cutting-edge security engineering practices, particularly in continuous integration, continuous delivery, and secure-by-design development.
· Developing advanced security solutions by further refining our SecureFlow CI/CD pipelines and incorporating the project’s innovative security services into scalable, production-ready workflows.
· Expanding market reach by showcasing our capabilities in secure software development and integration, strengthening our position in the cybersecurity domain, and opening opportunities across new industries.
In the project, ASSIST leads the work on integrating the SECASSURED security services into a flexible, production-ready platform. We are responsible for developing the continuous integration environment, defining deployment models, and ensuring seamless orchestration of the full suite of SECASSURED tools. Our team also contributes to requirements analysis, architectural design, and the development and validation of one of the project’s key use cases in the eHealth domain, an area where robust security and high trustworthiness are essential, and where ASSIST has vast experience.
A Productive First Meeting
The kick-off meeting began with a warm welcome and introductory session, followed by short presentations from each partner organisation. These provided a clear view of the consortium’s collective expertise and complementary roles.
The session continued with an overview of the project and introductory discussions on its core technical and strategic components. The agenda covered:
· The foundations of the project’s requirements, architecture, and use case framing
· The vision for AI-driven security assurance and interpretation services
· Security services for development environments and secure-by-design practices
· Plans for communication, dissemination, and long-term exploitation
· Project coordination, governance, and collaboration principles
The meeting set a strong collaborative tone and ensured that all partners are aligned as the work begins.
Moving Toward Implementation
The consortium will reconvene in January in Athens for the full in-person kick-off meeting, where teams will engage in technical deep-dives, roadmap refinement, and hands-on planning.
Funding and Support
The Horizon Europe program, through the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology, and Research Competence Centre, supports the SECASSURED project.
Submitted under the HORIZON-CL3-2024-CS-01 call for proposals (project ID 101225858), this funding enables the consortium to advance cutting-edge research, develop robust AI-driven security solutions, and bring innovative, trustworthy security engineering practices closer to real-world adoption.
