Research


Secure IoT platforms for Urban Computing Applications

Looking at the vast domain of technological applications in urban areas, how do we align the emerging technologies of the IoT paradigm with the required security requirements?

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) have evolved at an ever-increasing pace. Consequently, we have seen a considerable increase in the complexity of software and communications protocol stacks, to the point where it is tough to know the details, identify vulnerabilities, and ensure the technology's suitability for the target applications. In addition, in the IoT paradigm, many devices run in an autonomous mode (without direct interaction with a user or administrator) and/or have limited resources, preventing the execution of some tasks and operations usually associated with guaranteeing the integrity and confidentiality of information, as well as the availability. These facts bring a substantial set of threats, which can quickly destroy trust in applications, compromising everything that could be beneficial. Therefore, it is essential to develop adequate models/methods to mitigate security risks, from choosing appropriate technologies for the desired risk level to configuring and adapting support infrastructures (system software and protocols). This development track aims to promote practical experiences in the context of Urban applications, addressing real scenarios whenever possible (otherwise using simulations) to find the main faults and limitations related to security requirements, and propose solutions where Cybersecurity can be appropriately managed