Systematic Literature Review: Digital Twins’ Role in Enhancing Security
for Industry 4.0 Applications
Abstract
Connectivity and data exchange are key features of Industry 4.0. In this
paradigm, (Industrial) Internet of Things ((I)IoT) devices are a vital
component facilitating the collection and transmission of environmental
data from the physical sys- tem to the central station for processing
and analysis(Digital Twin). However, although (I)IoT devices play a
critical role in this process, they are not inherently equipped to run
strong encryption mechanisms to secure the data they transmit over wired
or wireless channels. This research aims to explore the potential of
Digital Twins (DT) in securing Industry 4.0 appli- cations and the
security mechanism employed to ensure con- fidentiality, integrity, and
authentication of data communi- cated between (I)IoT and DT through a
Systematic Literature Review (SLR). This systematic literature review,
based on the analysis of 67 papers published between 2018 and 2023, un-
derscores the evolving significance of Digital Twin technol- ogy,
particularly within the ambit of Industry 4.0. The find- ings illuminate
the pervasive influence of Digital Twin tech- nology across multiple
industrial sectors. The result SLR re- vealed that DT is growing and
being widely adopted as a se- curity tool particularly in Industry 4.0
using enabling tech- nology like machine learning, data analytics,
blockchain, and 5G networks to provide security solutions such as
intrusion detection, vulnerability assessment, cyber range, and threat
intelligence.