TC: Large: Securing the Open Softphone

移动电话正处于一场戏剧性的变革中；它们正在成为功能强大、传感器丰富、软件控制的计算和通信设备。这些“软电话”越来越多地被委托维护用户的电子身份、日历、社交网络，甚至银行账户。然而，软电话灵活性的大幅增加也伴随着同样大的安全问题和机会，其中一些我们才刚刚开始了解。本项目研究软电话的新威胁和承诺，重点是识别、了解和缓解新的安全风险。讨论了两大风险类别：对个人用户的威胁(如用户隐私或个人财务)和对整个通信系统的威胁(如紧急服务中断)。该项目最终旨在了解与软电话及其网络相关的安全问题与传统计算机和网络的安全问题有何不同，以及如何利用软电话的独特功能来提高安全性。这项研究由一个由9名高级调查人员组成的广泛而多样的团队与国际工业界和学术界合作，在波士顿大学RISCS中心的支持下进行。该项目正在努力通过一系列公开研讨会、多个研讨会、所有级别的电话安全课程开发(包括荣誉课程)以及对研究生和本科生的跨学科培训来争取广泛的影响。该项目的成功结束将使人们对如何保护已经管理着我们生活许多亲密方面的移动电话基础设施有了必要和及时的了解。

Mobile phones are in the midst of a dramatic transformation; they are becoming highly powerful sensor-rich software-controlled computing and communication devices. These "softphones" are increasingly entrusted with maintaining users' electronic identity, calendars, social networks, and even bank accounts. However, the vast increases in the flexibility of softphones comes with equally large security issues and opportunities, some of which we are only beginning to understand.This project studies the new threats and promises of softphones, and focuses on identifying, understanding, and mitigating new security risks. Two broad risk categories are addressed: threats to individual users (such as user privacy or personal finances), and threats to the entire communication system (such as disruptions to emergency services). The project ultimately aims to understand how security problems associated with softphones and their networks are different from those of traditional computers and networks, and how to harness the unique capabilities of softphones for improved security.The research is being conducted by a broad and diverse team of nine senior investigators, in collaboration with international industry and academic partners, under the aegis of the RISCS Center at Boston University. The project is striving for wide impact through a public seminar series, multiple workshops, course development in phone security across all levels (including honors courses), and cross-disciplinary training of graduate and undergraduate studentsThe project's successful conclusion will deliver an essential and timely understanding of how to secure the mobile phone infrastructure that already manages many intimate aspects of our lives.