Emerging Research Dimensions in IT Security Dr. Salar H. Naqvi Senior Member IEEE Research Fellow, CoreGRID Network of Excellence European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics

Research Context

Evolution of Computing Paradigm Static Cooperation –Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Dynamic Cooperation –Internet Dynamic Collaboration –Peer-to-Peer (P2P), Web Services (WS) Dynamic Resource Sharing –Computational Grid ComputerComputer CustomerVendor Orders, Payments Invoice, Price notices, updates

New Challenges Very large scales –million of entities Dynamic –entities join, leave, move, change behavior Heterogeneous –capability, connectivity, reliability, guarantees, QoS Unreliable –components, communication Lack of common/complete knowledge –number, type, location, availability, connectivity, protocols, semantics, etc.

Security – Challenges Computational Grids –Interoperability, Trust, Usability, Robustness/Resilience, Delegation, Bootstrapping, Mobility Clusters –Integration of different security solutions, automated security management Peer-to-Peer Systems –Setting up uniform security policy, Trust management, storage of authentication tokens and user identities Pervasive/Ubiquitous Computing –Privacy, Scalability, Heterogeneity, Integration, Invisibility Mobile Computing –Dependability, Disconnections, Context and State Management

New IT Security Research Dimensions

Classical Planes Physical Logical

Novel Planes Quantum Physical Logical Virtual

Virtualization The secure interoperability between VOs demands interoperable solutions using heterogeneous systems. Virtualization permits each participating end-point to express the policy it wishes to see applied when engaging in a secure conversation with another end-point. Policies can specify supported authentication mechanisms, required integrity and confidentiality, trust policies, privacy policies, and other security constraints.

Pluggability/Configurability Pluggable Security Services (PSS) requirements include: –Definition of standard and flexible interfaces –Integration at application layer –Coordinated invocation of services –Usable by users and services –Simultaneous use of multiple services –Support for future enhancement –Optimization for various communication links –Provision of real-time invocation features –Use of standard programming interfaces

PSS Architectural Overview

Application/Client Interface –Authenticates user/application –Facilitate communications Configuration Daemon –Accepts machine independent, abstract configuration request –Interacts with the coordination service Security Services Handler –Absorbs the diversity of security mechanisms Protocol Mapping –Contains the list of supported protocols Security Architecture Interface –Consists of socket modules to plug various security services.

SEINIT: Security Expert Initiative IST Integrated Project –IST SEINIT Duration: December 2003 – November 2005 –Extended till February 2006 Budget –Total cost: 8 M€ –EU Contribution: 3.9 M€ Objectives –Ensure a trusted and dependable security framework, ubiquitous, working across multiple devices, heterogeneous networks, being organisation independent (inter-operable) and centred around an end-user.

Use case

Novel Planes Quantum Physical Logical Virtual

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is simultaneous generation of identical bit sequences in two distinct locations with quantum physical methods QKD enables the implementation of a secure secret channel To make QKD ready for practical applications, we need to –Make physical devices ready for practical application –Provide necessary interfaces for the integration into existing technologies –Develop conceptual design for networked infrastructures –Development of cryptographic algorithms and models

SECOQC: Secure Communication based on Quantum Cryptography –IST SECOQC Duration: April 2004 – March 2008 Budget –Total cost: 11.3 M€ –EU Contribution: 5.5 M€ Objectives –Global dependability and security framework IST Integrated Project SECOQC

Conclusions & Perspectives Security has emerged as an indispensable characteristic of any IT system Security components should be woven in the IT Fabric IT Security requires new dimensions to tackle the contemporary threats paradigm European Commission provides funding for IT research through various programs of IST (Information Society Technologies) Notably: –Future Emerging Technologies (FET) –Beyond the Horizon Security is not a product – Security is a PROCESS!