NIST has published Internal Report (IR) 8356, Security and Trust Considerations for Digital Twin Technology. This publication introduces the concept of a digital twin (DT), which is an electronic representation of a real-world physical (e.g., buildings, electronics, living things) or non-physical (e.g., processes, conceptual models) entity. DTs utilize existing technologies to enable a broad range of capabilities that require interoperable definitions, tools, and standards.
This document discusses key components, functions, existing modeling and simulation, and cybersecurity and trust considerations for DTs. It also provides simple examples of how to apply DT technology to real-world problems and casts a broader vision for future capabilities.