D.2 Secure Federations of Components for the AlterEgo

Subarea D.2 develops cryptographic concepts and methods to protect the users’ privacy. With the focus of research area D on federated components in the AlterEgo in Phase II, the Subarea D.2 also distinguishes between different components in the computing environment, such as hardware, software, and the involvement of the user. The goal of the sub-project is to analyze existing and develop new cryptographic schemes under the different assumptions from more or less trustworthy components.

Current PhD project of subarea D.2:

„Coming soon…“

Previous PhD project of subarea D.2:

Privacy in user-based Bluetooth Protocols

-Olga Sanina-

The main goal of research area D is to develop a system, AlterEgo, that can be trusted in representing a user and his interests in digital networks. However, this is not possible without having the system being verified to be trustworthy enough by the means of identification, certification, and, if required, some other including new ways. Before deploying the infrastructure, it is important to analyze it in a theoretical sense, therefore, D2 project specifically supports research area D on the mathematical level.

Bluetooth is one of the PANs where AlterEgo can be used. Due to its short range for data transmission, application of Bluetooth is limited. However, developing of contact tracing, wearables and IoT has put Bluetooth back to be a popular solution for the need of communication between devices.

Bluetooth is being studied for a long time by researchers from different areas. Whereas some attacks and vulnerabilities of Bluetooth devices depend on the manufacturers, it is essential to prove security guarantees on the level of the standards used as building blocks to create devices. For instance, some pairing modes in Core Specification involve humans into authentication process by confirming or entering the digits displayed on the screens. Manufacturers hence implies this approach when designing devices with Bluetooth.

Since privacy is a focus of this research, it is important to understand whether Bluetooth devices may disclosure data of users and in a what way. Project implementation will allow users to make sure that Bluetooth is trustworthy and standard developers to improve it.