research areas
CyLab's research strategy is holistic. Seven areas of research and development have been designated, spanning a wide range of technologies, systems and users. Each project meets the criteria of one or more research areas, with an aim towards building cross-functional and multi-disciplinary solutions and leveraging cross-cutting skills from faculty across the university, such as policy development, risk management or modeling. The objective is to build a new generation of technologies that will lead to measurable, available, secure, trustworthy, and sustainable computing and communications systems, as well as associated management and policy tools that enable successful exploitation of the new technologies.
Research Areas
Mobility: Mobile devices, networks and systems have been widely adopted in the workplace and the home, and are fast becoming the dominant mechanism for Internet access and personal computing. Context-aware services such as mobile shopping, advertising, gaming and social networking are on the increase. Mobility Research at CyLab responds on two levels - by contributing to a more secure mobile environment in its current state and by the design and implementation of new, innovative technologies, networks and systems that will securely empower future users.
Next-generation Secure Internet: The Internet is the primary source of interactions between machines and among humans. The goal of our research at CyLab is to help build the next generation Internet, a global, ubiquitous communication network where users, human or otherwise, can access the services they want, when they want, with confidence that those services are functioning properly, and without fear of interference.
Available and Secure Network and Communication: The expanding distribution of systems, the growth of networks and the global integration of computing and communication systems brings new challenges to network security. Sensor networks also play an increasingly strong role in relaying information and communications. CyLab's research is dedicated to developing new applications and methods to support and secure network communications including encryption, sensor development and deployment, modeling and response technologies as well as threat analysis.
Secure Home Computing: Home computers have always been popular targets for attack by intruders seeking personal information or to utilize an unsuspecting PC to attack other systems through the web. But the range and sophistication of home computing environments is growing rapidly with the deployment of networked systems and appliances, such as HVAC thermostats that self-adjust or refrigerators that communicate maintenance requirements. CyLab's research contributes to the growth and security of the digital home - from networked devices, home computers and storage for personal devices, such as an iPod or a DVR.
Access to Devices and Spaces: Whether at an international airport or in a local office building, managing access to physical space and locations within it has become a critical safety factor for most businesses. CyLab focuses on innovative technologies and methods that empower user-controlled access as well as identify and quantify the desirability of individuals seeking access. From smartphones that control door locks to iris detection and face recognition technologies, our research is currently applied in a number of military and law enforcement environments.
Available and Secure Computing Systems: Our computing infrastructure carries the responsibility for all computer-driven interactions, from data flow to web servers to critical enterprise applications. It is the objective of CyLab researcher to study computing systems for critical applications that are resilient to accidental faults and intentional attacks, and develop new technologies, models, methods or policies that support secure and accessible systems.
Trusted Computing: The goal in trusted computing is to provide a platform that does not allow tampering with the application software and where those applications can communicate securely with their authors and with each other. The trusted computing initiative represents an important effort towards more secure and dependable computers and therefore towards the security of all computer-supported infrastructures and processes. CyLab research focuses on secure application design on trusted hardware, software-based attestation and policies and methods for trusted computing environments.
Protecting Privacy and Confidentiality of Personal Information: Protecting confidential information from intruders, insider threats or even the simple loss of a laptop, is costly and complex for both businesses and individuals. The proliferation of personal data collected in multiple venues from websites to hospitals, supermarkets to banks, combined with poorly articulated or misunderstood policies and a growing web of state, federal and international regulations pose a daunting challenge. CyLab's research focuses on tools and methods that support privacy protection at the organizational and individual levels.
Cross-Cutting Thrusts
The following areas of expertise are applied to research projects by leveraging the multi-disciplinary skills of faculty and graduate students at CyLab and across Carnegie Mellon.
- Cryptography
- Formal Methods
- Threat Protection Modeling
- Business Risk Analysis and Economic Implications
- Next Generation Response & Prediction Technologies
- Software Security