Privacy

As a growing number of connected devices are introduced to the world with a goal of increasing quality of life, they also pose a risk of collecting sensitive information and invading privacy. Carnegie Mellon University CyLab researchers are working to ensure that as new devices and new technologies are created, your digital privacy remains protected.

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Learn who at CyLab is working in privacy.

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We have researchers working in the following subtopics of applications of security and privacy. Check out each of their research:

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CyLab researchers develop a taxonomy for AI privacy risks

A team of Carnegie Mellon University researchers constructed a taxonomy of AI privacy risks by analyzing 321 documented AI privacy incidents. The team’s goal was to codify how the unique capabilities and requirements of AI technologies described in those incidents generated new privacy risks, exacerbated known ones, or otherwise did not meaningfully alter known risks.

CMU and CLP celebrate International Data Privacy Day on January 28

In celebration of International Privacy Day, Carnegie Mellon University is teaming up with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) to host Data Privacy Day 2024. The event will take place on Sunday, January 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at CLP-Main (Oakland) in the South Wing Reading Room on the 2nd floor. Data Privacy Day is open to the public, and no registration is required. Lunch will be provided.

Unplugging doubt

Smart speakers and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices often have always-on microphones to enable voice-based interaction. In a recent paper, CyLab faculty member Sauvik Das and a team of researchers propose a new concept of "intentionally powered" microphones that can only be powered using the energy harvested from intentional user interactions.

New tool helps mobile app developers create more accurate iOS privacy labels

Created by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, Privacy Label Wiz is an easy-to-use, step-by-step resource to help developers create accurate mobile app privacy labels

New website highlights thousands of Android apps’ data collection practices

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have launched a new website, offering Android users an easy and convenient way to see how their data is collected and shared.

Less is not more; Mapping a better route to user ad settings

For users looking to change their privacy settings on websites like Facebook, it often feels like a scavenger hunt. Now, researchers from Carnegie Mellon and the University of Michigan are exploring design options to make settings related to advertising preferences more findable.

Cookie consent banners need improvement, may not be the answer

Over the past several years, websites have begun implementing cookie consent banners to meet regulatory requirements, allowing users to make choices about how their personal information is collected and shared. However, CyLab researchers say many of these banners miss the mark and may not be the best way to offer users privacy options.

CyLab icon connects users with online privacy choices

Have you noticed the new icon popping up on websites across the Internet? Thanks to researchers at Carnegie Mellon’s CyLab Security and Privacy Institute, the University of Michigan, and Fordham University, users can now easily make choices about how websites use their personal information, all in one convenient spot.

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CyLab and S3D host International Data Privacy Day event

The CyLab Security and Privacy Institute and Software and Societal Systems Department hosted Carnegie Mellon's annual International Data Privacy Day event, bringing students, faculty, and staff together to discuss various aspects of online privacy.

Protecting your online data

Sauvik Das, assistant professor at Carnegie Mellon’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute and member of CMU’s CyLab Security and Privacy Institute, shares tips on how to protect your online data.

CyLab members present research at annual FTC PrivacyCon

CyLab faculty, postdocs, and students presented their research at the FTC’s seventh annual PrivacyCon on November 1.

Study reveals third-party tracking abundant on abortion clinic sites

A new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reveals over 99 percent of abortion clinic web pages include third-party tracking, putting the privacy of those visiting these websites at risk.

iPhone security compromises prove difficult to detect

Mobile phones can be abused to enable stalking through methods like location tracking, account compromise, and remote surveillance. While experts can help victims detect and recover from this type of technology abuse, researchers at Carnegie Mellon's CyLab Security and Privacy Institute say typical users aren't equipped to identify and resolve these issues on their own.

Usable but not understood: a case study on chatbots and HIPAA

Achieving consent online is a challenge. Throw that into the context of healthcare, and it becomes enormously challenging. A new study by CyLab's Sarah Pearman takes a deep dive.

CyLab’s Giulia Fanti receives 2022 Rising Star Award

ACM SIGMETRICS named CyLab’s Giulia Fanti the recipient of the 2022 Rising Star Research Award for her “fundamental and interdisciplinary research on scalable systems for data sharing that ensures security and privacy.”

Peekaboo! Here’s a system to guarantee smart home privacy

CyLab researchers have developed a new privacy-sensitive architecture for developers to build smart home apps.

Cookie consent notices are actually unusable, according to science

A new study by CyLab researchers shows just how truly unusable cookie consent interfaces are.

Lorrie Cranor receives honorary doctorate

Cranor received the honorary degree "for her relentless pursuit of making privacy and security usable..."

CyLab researchers investigate Apple’s privacy labels

Roughly a year after Apple rolled out its privacy label requirements, CyLab researchers have gained a comprehensive look at the state of iOS privacy labels.

The (un)importance of online interview modes for security and privacy studies

In a rigorous new study just published in the journal PLOS ONE, a team of CyLab researchers show that that there is little evidence to suggest that interviews with crowd workers about sensitive topics are significantly impacted by the chosen online interview mode.

Understanding the evolutionary roots of privacy

New research co-authored by CyLab researchers in the journal Science explores the concept of privacy not as a modern anomaly, but as a concept that spans time and space, social class, and degree of technological sophistication.

Why should we use password managers? We asked a security researcher.

The most common passwords in 2021 were (1) 123456, (2) 123456789, and (3) qwerty. We sat down with a CyLab researcher to better understand why password managers are such useful tools in securing our accounts, and why more of us should use them.

Avoid a privacy nightmare with “Lean Privacy Review”

CyLab researchers have developed a fast, cheap, and easy-to-access method to catch privacy issues early in a system’s development process.

Are the recent Facebook revelations a “privacy Chernobyl?”

CyLab’s Alessandro Acquisti shares his thoughts around the privacy issues Facebook is facing today.

Keeping distributed systems secure Opens in new window

Carnegie Mellon researchers are working to design networks that keep our ever-increasing numbers of connected devices safe and secure.

Research paper Opens in new window

Study further explores perceptions of video analytics

In general, people are somewhat aware of facial recognition technologies and tend to have mixed feelings about them, according to new research out of Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab.

CyLab names 2021 Presidential Fellows

Four high-achieving CyLab Ph.D. students pursuing security and/or privacy-related research have been awarded CyLab Presidential Fellowships.

Two CyLab papers presented at the FTC’s PrivacyCon 2021

The FTC selected fewer than 20 papers to be presented at this year’s PrivacyCon, and two of them were written by CyLab researchers.

Study explores tensions between IoT device owners and “incidental users”

A team of CyLab researchers conducted a study exploring the tensions that may arise between device owners and incidental users, who may or may not be comfortable as incidental users.

One size does not fit all when managing data practices on the web

A new study by Carnegie Mellon University CyLab researchers aimed to learn about users' awareness of data practices, how they felt about them, and how much control they perceived to have over them.

Misconceptions plague security and privacy tools

According to a new study out of CyLab, people hold a myriad of misconceptions about the security and privacy tools out there meant to help protect our privacy and online security.

CyLab researchers shine at PEPR 2021

More than 500 people gathered virtually at last week’s PEPR conference, perhaps the largest gathering of privacy engineers ever.

How to teach about privacy… using “potty talk”

Lorrie Cranor believes that bathrooms—these very intimate spaces for people of all ages—are surprisingly useful for conveying concepts related to both privacy and usability.

CyLab’s IoT security and privacy label effectively conveys risk, study finds

The study, presented at this week’s IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, helps bridge the gap between experts’ knowledge and consumers’ understanding of privacy and security risks.

CyLab researchers develop new guidance for designing privacy choices

In a new study presented at this week’s ACM CHI conference, CyLab researchers outlined a set of standards and taxonomy to help alleviate the void in guidance that still leaves privacy choices muddied for users.

Cryptocurrency derivatives markets are booming

On a busy day, over $100 billion in these derivatives are traded, rivaling the daily volume traded in the New York Stock Exchange, according to a new study authored by Carnegie Mellon University CyLab researchers.

CMU-Africa and CyLab aim to improve financial inclusion in emerging economies

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) CyLab and CMU-Africa have established the CyLab-Africa initiative, which aims to improve the cybersecurity of financial systems in Africa and other emerging economies.

Phishing, fairness, and more: CyLab’s 2021 seed funding awardees

Over $350K in seed funding has been awarded to 14 different faculty and staff in seven different departments across three colleges at CMU.

What if opting out of data collection were easy?

Recent work by researchers in Carnegie Mellon University CyLab has shown that it is possible to use machine learning techniques to automatically extract and classify some of these opt-out choices, and introduces a new, handy browser extension.

CyLab researchers design privacy icon to be used by California law

The state of California has proposed an official icon to include next to opt-out text—a blue stylized toggle icon developed by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab and the University of Michigan’s School of Information. Users may begin seeing the new stylized icon at the bottom of websites’ footers early next year.

App and infrastructure alert users about data collection around them

The IoT Assistant app and digital infrastructure, developed by researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab, paves the way for people to take control of their privacy amid the booming Internet of Things.

Lorrie Cranor named AAAS Fellow Opens in new window

Lorrie Cranor has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for her contributions to usable privacy and security research, policy, and education.

CMU launches new privacy engineering options

CMU is offering two flexible options for privacy engineering education and training: a part-time privacy engineering master's degree, and a privacy engineering certificate.

New tool simplifies data sharing, preserves privacy

According to a new study authored by researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab and IBM, a new tool can help circumvent the privacy issue in data sharing.

Cyber defense is an art in human deception

CyLab's Coty Gonzalez and her research group presented two studies on cyber deception at this week’s Human Factors and Ergonomics Society annual meeting. CyLab director Lorrie Cranor gave the meeting’s keynote talk.

Websites containing COVID info are tracking you

In a new study, CyLab's Tim Libert showed that 99 percent of websites that contained information regarding COVID-19 also contained code that shares user activity data with third parties, including advertisers.

Ads may not provide benefits companies say they do

A recent study by researchers in Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab and Heinz College tests claims by the advertising industry that online ads help consumers find better, cheaper products faster.

Home automation rules are more risky and less risky than we thought

A recent CyLab study found that previous risks in home automation rules aren’t as dangerous in reality as once thought, but new threats were identified.

What if you could better control what mobile apps do with your data?

Researchers in CyLab are working to create digital “privacy assistants” that can recommend phone app privacy settings to users based on their preferences.

Research paper Opens in new window

CyLab names 2020 Presidential Fellows

Seven Ph.D. students pursuing security and/or privacy research will receive 2020 CyLab Presidential Fellowships.

Three CyLab papers presented at the FTC’s PrivacyCon 2020

Three CyLab papers were presented at this year’s PrivacyCon, focusing on privacy and security nutrition labels, making privacy choices easier, and perceptions of advanced video analytics.

Shedding light (and sound) on hidden IoT devices in your next hotel room

In a new study, a team of CyLab researchers explored different locator designs to make IoT devices seem a little less hidden.

Research paper Opens in new window

How much control are people willing to grant to a personal privacy assistant?

In a new study presented at the CHI 2020 conference, CyLab researchers sought to find out how much autonomy people would feel comfortable giving to a personalized privacy assistant.

Research paper Opens in new window

Privacy perceptions of contact-tracing apps

Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University examined user preferences on six different contact-tracing app designs after explaining the risks and benefits of each option.

Finding privacy choices on websites is hard for average users.

In a study presented at this year's ACM CHI conference, CyLab researchers show precisely how difficult it is for average users to access privacy choices online.

Research paper Opens in new window

Research paper Opens in new window

IoT labels will help consumers figure out which devices are spying on them

A team of CyLab researchers have developed a prototype security and privacy “nutrition label” that performed well in user tests. To develop the label, the team consulted with a diverse group of 22 security and privacy experts across industry, government, and academia.

Research paper Opens in new window

After a breach, users rarely change their passwords, and when they do, they’re often weaker

A recent study authored by CyLab researchers shows that only a minority of people change their passwords after a security breach, and those that do often change them to weaker ones.

Passwords research group awarded the 2020 Allen Newell Award for Research Excellence

A group of CyLab faculty and graduate students were just awarded the Allen Newell Award for Research Excellence for their contributions from a decade of passwords research.

Online status indicators during a pandemic: do they work?

People working from home have been using online status indicators to check whether their co-workers are available, but recent CyLab research shows that these indicators lead to some strange behaviors.

Research paper Opens in new window

Q&A with Lujo Bauer

Many Americans are entering their fifth of working remotely, which has resulted in new paradigms in their own and their employers’ cybersecurity and privacy. CyLab's Lujo Bauer has been monitoring the situation.

Q&A with Lorrie Cranor

As COVID-19 continues to spread around the world, CyLab director Lorrie Cranor says there are number issues related to privacy and cybersecurity that people need to be aware of.

Q&A with Jason Hong

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact countless aspects of everyday life, CyLab researchers are monitoring its effects on people’s cybersecurity and privacy. Jason Hong thinks that right now, people need to be even more aware and cautious online.

“Looking at You” illustrates today’s privacy dilemma in the form of an opera

A team of CyLab researchers helped put on an opera called Looking at You, which ran in New York City in September and explored issues of digital privacy in today’s screen-filled world.

Sharing accounts in the workplace is a mess

In a new study, CyLab researchers found that people in the workplace are sharing accounts like Facebook, Google, and company email accounts for a variety of reasons. The way they share these accounts could lead to mishaps.

Project Amelia provides a visit to the not-so-distant future

Project Amelia had its final production earlier this month in Pittsburgh’s South Side, where it had been running since early September. A whole cast of CyLab researchers were involved in the production.

New tool gives researchers a better look at online anonymous marketplaces

In a study presented at the Knowledge Discovery and Data (KDD) Mining Conference, Xiao Hui Tai teamed up with two other researchers to develop an algorithm that will help law enforcement agencies crack down on illicit products being sold on online anonymous marketplaces.

This new tool for developers can help preserve app users’ privacy

A team of CyLab researchers created a tool that nudges developers to think a bit harder about user privacy when coding data requests.

When privacy and the arts collide

Sophie Calle is a French artist who often blurs the lines between life and her art. What if Calle knew how to code, and take advantage of our personal data to create an even more personalized, privacy-intrusive form of art? That’s something CyLab’s Maggie Oates has been exploring.

Apps are rife with privacy compliance issues, and here’s some evidence

A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and Fordham University recently created the Mobile App Privacy System (MAPS), a tool that uses natural language processing, machine learning, and code analysis to identify potential privacy compliance issues by inspecting apps’ privacy policies and code.

Opting out of data use is hard, but it doesn’t have to be

A recent study by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Michigan found that while many websites share users' browsing data with advertisers, it is difficult for users to figure out how to prevent this practice.

Security and privacy need to be easy

In 2005, Carnegie Mellon hosted a first-of-its-kind conference that brought together researchers from dozens of universities and companies around the world with one mission: make privacy and security tools easier to use. That conference, the Symposium On Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS), is holding its 15th annual meeting next month. SOUPS, as well as the entire usable privacy and security field, have deep roots at CMU.

NSF awards $1.2M to create a digital assistant to answer people’s privacy questions

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $1.2 million grant to a team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon University, Fordham University, and Penn State University to develop a tool—a “privacy assistant”—that will allow users to simply ask questions about the privacy issues that matter to them.

Ads, cookies, and the European privacy regulation

A team of researchers from Carnegie Mellon, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Paris-Sud have been pondering how the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation affected the use of cookies, as well as its impact on websites that rely on cookies for revenue-generating ads.

BUYER UNAWARE: Security and privacy rarely considered before buying IoT devices

In a study presented at the ACM CHI conference in Glasgow earlier this month, researchers from Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab found that security and privacy risks may not be on the list of considerations when consumers purchase new IoT devices.

CyLab's Norman Sadeh speaks on plenary panel about data protection and privacy

Last week, CyLab's Norman Sadeh, a professor in the Institute for Software Research in the School of Computer Science and co-director of the Privacy Engineering program, spoke about privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), and the challenges at the intersection of the two at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners (ICDPPC).

Is there privacy in a world of self-driving cars? Opens in new window

The general population welcomes AVs, but not how they treat data privacy. Cara Bloom discusses policy options.

CyLab’s Lorrie Cranor receives the IAPP 2018 Leadership Award

The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) has named Lorrie Cranor the recipient of the 2018 Leadership Award. Cranor, a professor in the Institute for Software Research and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy, accepted the award at the IAPP’s Global Privacy Summit on March 27.

Decision systems that respect privacy, fairness Opens in new window

CyLab and ECE’s Anupam Datta will lead a $3 million National Science Foundation project on accountable decision systems that respect privacy and fairness expectations.

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Carnegie Mellon celebrates International Data Privacy Day

Coming on the heels of a year of unprecedented data breaches, targeted ads and new ethical questions about data privacy, Carnegie Mellon University will host its fourth celebration of International Data Privacy Day on Friday, January 27th.

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