Projects

Security for Building Automation Systems

Building Automation Systems (BASs) support facilities management by connecting building actuators and sensors to data networks and enabling computer control. Such systems have great potential for applications, but many of these applications open new security risks because they increase the attack surface of the BAS. This project is developing security architectures and principles for BAS middleware, with a focus on strategies for limiting the risks in connecting the BAS to an enterprise information system.

Attribute-Based Messaging and Security

Messaging and security systems can benefit from using attributes of people and data to route messages and make access decisions. Such information can be extracted from enterprise information systems such as human resources records or labels on data and used to improve the privacy and efficiency of messaging and the management of access permissions to enterprise data resources. This project is developing theory, architectures, and applications for communication and information systems based on automated use and management of attributes.

Trustworthy Cyber-Infrastructure for Power (TCIP)

Electrical power systems are becoming increasingly dependent on data networking and computer control. This opens the electrical power grid to high-risk cyber-security threats that attack the integrity and availability of the system. This project is developing secure platforms for advanced power meters and secure communication techniques for control system networks as part of the TCIP Center. It is also exploring policy issues for the Smart Grid.

DoS Models and Countermeasures

Denial of Service (DoS) attacks deplete the resources of target systems to deny service to legitimate users. Preventing such attacks is quite difficult because of fundamental design decisions in the Internet and in wireless systems. This project is developing better theoretical models for DoS and using these to inspire and analyze new types of countermeasures. The project also investigates a range of topics in network security such as tunnels, firewalls, and browsers.

Assisted Living Security

Assisted Living exploits networking and personal medical devices to enable remote monitoring of vital signs of people in their homes. Such monitoring raises concerns for security and privacy, which must meet standards appropriate to communication of data that is both safety-critical and personally sensitive. This project developed architectures, prototypes, and formal analysis for an Assisted Living Service Provider (ALSP) and a Medical Mediator.

Formal Privacy

Privacy has social, legal, commercial, and technological dimensions, where each dimension deeply influences the others. Worldwide, citizens have in many cases asked their governments to provide them with basic privacy assurances for their interactions with businesses. Such regulations can be complicated and impede businesses from effective operation. This project focused on the formal description and analysis of privacy regulations with an aim to understand their consequences and contribute to efforts to build compliant information systems.